PV Sindhu hopes to channel new optimism and vintage dominance as she begins the season at the Indian Open

There was something different about PV Sindhu. While the rest of her compatriots at Monday’s pre-tournament press conference for the India Open World tour 750 were dressed in regulation tracksuits and pants, the two-time Olympic medalist arrived in a shiny black faux leather outfit with the words PVMA in bright white sequins. . Even his sneakers had a unique touch: the eyelets on his laces ended in a small metal racket.

It was all part of a makeover for Sindhu who joined sports giant Puma on Monday. The brand even modified its iconic logo with Sindhu’s initials to announce her signing. Although this new look of Sindhu has caught everyone’s attention, fans of the sport are hoping for a vintage performance from Sindhu when she kicks off her 2025 season at the India Open in Delhi this week.

Sindhu sported quirky aglets ahead of India Open | Photo credit: Jonathan Selvaraj

Although she still enjoys strong support, 2024 was a sign that the powers that made her a double Olympic medalist and world champion were slowly but surely waning. The final year of his third Olympic cycle was the weakest of his career, as suggested by a 26-15 win-loss record. For only the second time since 2015, she would not win a medal at world level – losing in the quarter-finals of the Olympics – and would only win one tournament, in the relatively lightly contested Syed Modi competition. She fell outside the top 10 and enters the Indian Open ranked 14th in the world.

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2024 has been an eventful year in more ways than one. She passed through a line of revolving door coaches. She started the year with coach Park Tae Sung in her corner. He was replaced by Malaysian Hafiz Hashim. He then gave way to Indonesian Agus Dwi Santoso, followed in turn by Anup Sridhar and Lee Hyun-il from South Korea. After the Syed Modi contest in November, Sindhu got married and took a break from the circuit.

She is now back with a new trainer by her side.

File photo | Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie and Anthony Sinisuka Ginting celebrate with coach Irwansyah after the men’s final at the 2024 All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham. | Photo credit: Getty Images

Sindhu has roped in the services of seasoned badminton coach Irwansyah, but there is a slight difference from her previous engagements. The Indonesian, who has previously coached Olympic bronze medalist Anthony Ginting and Asian Games gold medalist Jonatan Christie, will not work exclusively with Sindhu. He will work with the Indian players as part of the national camp in Bengaluru – of which Sindhu will be a part.

Sindhu is excited to face the relative unknowns.

“I think it will be good for me and for the group. At the same time, there are a lot of young male players at the national camp, so I will also train with them,” she said.

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“It’s very important to have a good bond between the coach and the athlete and even though I’ve only been training with him for two weeks, I’m looking forward to building that bond,” he said. she said about Irwansyah. “I have only heard good things about him and I think he is the right coach for me. The way he thinks and approaches his opponents is really good. We didn’t talk much. But we will talk about it a lot more in the future,” she added.

Sindhu has her work cut out for her. Once one of the youngest players on the international circuit, she is now one of the most senior. This comes with its own challenges. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

Sindhu is in no hurry to see results. Her slow start to the year in which she skipped the Malaysian Open only underlines that feeling.

“After the Syed Modi contest, I took a break because I got married. And I didn’t want to participate in the Malaysian Open right away. I wanted to be 100% ready when I returned to the field. There’s no point coming back when I was only 50 percent ready,” she explained.

If Sindhu was able to take her time to decide when to return, it is because she has earned this right. “(The next Olympics) are a long time away. My most important goal is to not get injured. I have to be 100 percent. I think this season I will have to choose where I want to play. I know there are back-to-back tournaments (on the BWF calendar) but I can’t play when I’m at 50 percent. My coach and I are on the same page about it,” she said.

“I’m totally fine and feeling great. It’s the start of a new year and that means new goals. I hope this year will be good and injury-free for me.

Sindhu has her work cut out for her. Once one of the youngest players on the international circuit, she is now one of the most senior. This comes with its own challenges.

“There is going to be a new group of players. They have very new skills. I’ve played (for) so many years that they all know my game and (can) anticipate what I’m going to do. It’s important for me to strategize. I have to find a way to maintain my speed and my power,” she told reporters in the nation’s capital.

Even though the past year hasn’t been very encouraging and things will only get more complicated in a fourth Olympic cycle, the Indian doesn’t plan to give up anytime soon.

“I may have won a medal in every tournament, but there are still goals I want to achieve. I really want another medal at the world championships. I also have medals from the World Tour Finals, but every time I go on the field I want to win these tournaments again. I feel like I still have a lot to accomplish. I have this fire in me. I know I can achieve this. It’s a matter of time and getting back into rhythm,” Sindhu said.