PV Sindhu’s performance will be the best indicator if Park Tae-sang’s coaching has worked: Aparna Popat
The former India badminton player believes that Sindhu has peaked at the right time.
Tokyo 2020 Olympics is underway and India has just won it's first medal with Mirabai Chanu winning silver in the women's 49kg weightlifting.
However, India will also pin its hopes on star shuttler PV Sindhu, who had won a silver at Rio 2016, to add to that tally.
Sindhu is the first Indian woman to be a world champion in badminton, having won the World Badminton Championship in 2019. She also has a BWF World Tour title in her bag and has finished runner-up on four occasions.
As Sindhu gears up to start her Tokyo 2020 campaign on Sunday, former India shuttler Aparna Popat has stated that Sindhu’s versatile game will be an asset for her.
“She's basically been peaking at the right time and won the World Championship medal in 2019. She has grown over the years. She won the World Tour Finals also and has beaten some big players. But she has played differently over different tournaments. At the World Championships, she was attacking and had different stroke play while at the Rio Olympics, she was basically jumping and smashing,” observed Popat in a chat with Olympics.com.
“So, it will be all on how her practice is, how her fitness is and the court conditions at Tokyo 2020. But when it mattered, she came out and won the big matches. Being a World champion is incredible,” she added.
Sindhu has been working under the tutelage of South Korean coach Park Tae-sang, who won the bronze medal at the 2004 Asian Games. Tae-sang has been coaching Sindhu since September 2019.
“The comfort of the player is important. If she is happy (under the new coach) that is the best possible situation we can hope for. And how she will play (at Tokyo), will be the biggest indicator if the new coach has worked out or not,” said Popat.
Sindhu has been drawn in Group J where she is placed alongside Hong Kong’s Cheung Ngan Yi, who is world number 34, and Israel’s Ksenia Polikarpova. Interestingly, she has a 100 per cent win record against duo.
There is a possibility that Sindhu might face Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the quarterfinals should she progress from the group stages. Popat explained that facing the world number five would not be a difficult proposition for Sindhu as compared to other competitors.
Although Sindhu defeated Yamaguchi earlier this year at the All England Open, the Japanese star notably beat the Indian in the BWF World Tour final in December 2019.
“I think she should be fine in the initial stage, there shouldn't be any problem. That is also because she is seeded high. The group would be okay to get through. I think overall it is a great draw for Sindhu given that she might face (Akane) Yamaguchi in the latter stages.
“Once you reach quarter-final, everyone will be a tough competitor. I think Yamaguchi will be the best possible draw for her in the latter stages compared to the others.
“Yamaguchi will be a little less tricky for her than playing the others in the knock-out stage. This is because her style of play is a little bit more on the defensive side and it might not trouble Sindhu as much,” she explained.
When will PV Sindhu's Tokyo 2020 campaign begin?
Sindhu will begin her campaign in the women's singles Group J against Polikarpova Ksenia on July 25, Sunday.