“One Match at a Time”: PV Sindhu Eyes Sixth World Championships Medal on Home Soil

P. V. Sindhu will be eyeing her sixth BWF World Championships medal as she returns to the global stage on home soil, carrying renewed confidence after her Japan Open triumph. The Indian shuttler, who has won five World Championship medals, including gold in 2019, said the Japan Open victory had given her a timely boost ahead of the tournament.

“Winning the Japan Open has given me a lot of confidence and a boost. So, I’m looking forward to the World Championships,” Sindhu said.

Sindhu’s World Championships journey has included bronze medals in 2013 and 2014, silver in 2017 and 2018, and gold in 2019. She identified her narrow defeat to Nozomi Okuhara in the 2017 final as one of the moments that shaped her career.

“I felt I was almost there, but I couldn’t get the gold. It was just a matter of one or two points. That made me much stronger,” she said. Seven years after her last World Championship title, Sindhu said competing in India makes the tournament even more special. She plans to focus on one match at a time while drawing energy from the home crowd.

“For me, it’s just one match at a time,” she said. “I’m really happy that we’re playing the World Championships in India and that I get to play on home ground.” The 30-year-old acknowledged the pressure of playing in front of a home crowd but insisted she would focus on giving her best.

“There is pressure, but at the same time, for me, there’s nothing to lose,” Sindhu said. “I just have to go onto the court and put my best out there, irrespective of the result.”
Sindhu also reflected on how she has evolved as a player over the past seven years. She pointed to the changing nature of women’s singles, with longer rallies and greater emphasis on patience and adaptability.

“I’m definitely much more experienced in terms of how to deal with situations on court,” she said.

Her improved consistency this season, she added, has been helped by a stronger support system involving her coach, physiotherapist and sports science team.

“It’s not just about the tournaments or what people see when we play a match. There’s a lot that happens behind the scenes,” she said.

Sindhu also expressed pride at playing the World Championships in India and recalled watching top players at the previous edition hosted in the country when she was a young girl.

In the concluding remarks, Sindhu also expected that the games in the women’s singles is expected to become faster and more demanding in the singles game. “You need to be on your feet from point number one,” she said. With her experience, recent form and home advantage, Sindhu will hope to add another medal to her remarkable World Championships collection.