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The 29-year-old expressed her delight with the win at the Syed Modi International Badminton Tournament and hoped that the triumph would act as a fillip moving towards the twilight of her career.
PV Sindhu. (PTI Photo)
Indian badminton ace PV Sindhu put an end to a title drought of over two years on Sunday as she clinched the Syed Modi International Badminton Tournament in Lucknow with a 21-14, 21-16 triumph over Wu Luo Yu in the final of the women’s section.
The 29-year-old expressed her delight with the win and hoped that the triumph would act as a fillip moving towards the twilight of her career.
“This win will definitely give me a lot of confidence,” an elated Sindhu began.
“Being 29 is an advantage in many ways because I have a lot of experience. Being smart and experienced is key, and I’m definitely going to play for the next couple of years,” Sindhu asserted.
Sindhu has been plagued by injuries and a downward turn in form over the past couple of years and she emphasised the importance of staying fit with an eye on the Los Angeles Olympics.
“My main goal is to stay injury-free, which is very, very important. Los Angeles Olympics is still too far away. I will definitely play, but the main thing is staying injury-free and enjoying the sport. If I stay fit, then why not?”
“I’m very happy that I’m finishing off with a win. Now it’s time to just go back, relax, and start again from January. I hope this is a comeback, and I’m looking forward to many more victories,” she stated.
Sindhu claimed the title for the third time in her illustrious career and revealed that she’d participate in the upcoming BWF events in Asia, but added that she would manage her workload with discretion.
“I’ll be playing the upcoming tournaments in Malaysia, India, Indonesia, and Thailand. Obviously, we’ll have to pick and choose tournaments because I’ll have to be smart enough to decide what to play and what not. I need to be much smarter in terms of that,” she continued.
Sindhu’s previous victory came all the way back in July of 2022 as she clinched the Singapore Open title, following which she had to endure multiple early exits across events including the Paris Olympics.
“Sometimes I was really close yet so far away,” she reflected on her difficult period in recent times.
“I had good matches in the past, but they didn’t turn into wins. I came back, fought harder, and it was important for me to get this win,” the shuttler from Hyderabad said.
“Yes, I am relieved. I mean, it’s the end of the year, and finishing off with a win makes me really grateful,” she added.