New Delhi: Indian preparations for the Thomas and Uber Cup received a huge boost with World champion PV Sindhu, making herself available for the tournament.
Sindhu had earlier expressed her inability to be part of the team for the tournament due to personal reasons,
However the Badminton Association of India (BAI) President Himanta Biswa intervened and personally called on the world champion urging her to reconsider her decision in the interest of trhe team and the nation.
After receiving the call Sindhu changed her earlier decision and agreed to be part of the team
Sindhu’s presence in the squad for October 3-11 event will bolster Team India’s chances.
“I have requested @Pvsindhu1 to join the team as we have a favourable draw and have the best chance to take a shot at a medal at the ThomasUberCup. She has agreed and will prepone her family function so that she can be part of the Indian Team and play for the country,” the BAI President Himanta Biswa Sarma informed through his Twitter handle today.
26 Indian shuttlers have currently been shortlisted and the final team selection will be done on September 17 for the upcoming Thomas and Uber Cup.
Beating 2012 Olympic winner Li Xuerui was turning point of my career: Sindhu
Harpal Singh Bedi
New Delhi: World champion PV Sindhu says that beating 2012 Olympic champion Li Xuerui was the turning point of her career.
Determination and Persistence are Sindhu’s virtues and were evident in the way she never gave up her dream of becoming a world champion since winning her first bronze medal at the prestigious event in 2013.
In her own words, the resolve grew stronger after her big win over 2012 Olympic champion Li Xuerui following a few tough losses during her transition to the senior circuit.
Talking to paddler Mudit Dani on his live online chat show, ‘In the Sportlight’.Sindhu said “The turning point for me was when I beat Li Xuerui in 2012. She was the Olympic champion at that point of time and I beat her in the quarter-finals (of the China Masters),” adding that it boosted her confidence by miles and made her work harder than ever.
A big fan of 2004 Olympic gold medalist Taufik Hidayat’s backhand and two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan’s style of play, Sindhu fondly remembers a surprise gift she received from one of her devoted fans upon her arrival from the Rio Olympics, which was his one-month salary. “It was so touching that I remember it even today. I wrote him a letter and sent him some money,”
While Sindhu currently continues to train at home and is having a relaxed time with her family during the COVID-19 pandemic, she has also picked up new skills. “I have been learning a few things; like I paint nowadays. I am also cooking and baking. It’s really interesting because earlier it was always badminton but now you are learning different stuff which is creative,”
The world number 7 also spoke of the importance of support for rising stars to excel. Support from the ecosystem like Khelo India is as essential as support from the parents; this being her parting message on the show.
New Delhi: World champion P V Sindhu added one more feather in her cap on Sunday as she won the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the year (IWOTY) 2019 award while the Lifetime Achievement Award went to the veteran athlete, PT Usha, for her contribution to Indian sport and for inspiring generations of players.
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju announcing the Indian Sportswoman of the Year Award. BBC Director General, Tony Hall hosted the awards ceremony.
The winner of ISWOTY was voted for by fans all over the world, picked out of five contestants nominated by an eminent jury. The five nominations announced in February 2020 consisted of sprinter Dutee Chand, boxer Mary Kom, wrestler Vinesh Phogat, para badminton player Manasi Joshi and P V Sindhu
Sindhu has a total of five World Championship medals to her name. She is also the first Indian singles badminton player to win an Olympic silver medal. Sindhu entered into the top 20 of the BWF World rankings in September 2012 at the age of just 17. She has remained in the top 10 throughout the last four years. With her ace smashes and dynamic play, Indian fans have high hopes from her at the Tokyo Olympics.
After the win, the 24 year old badminton player who is in London to take part in the All England championship said via video link “I want to thank BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year team. I am really happy to have this award. I would also like to thank BBC India for such a great initiative and all my fans out there”.
“I would like to dedicate this award to my supporters and fans that have supported me all along and also voted for me. Awards like BBC Indian Sportswoman of the year give us motivation and encouragement to go much further. My message to all young sportswomen is that as women we have to believe in ourselves. Hard work is the key to success. I’m sure soon there will be more Indian sportswomen winning medals for the country.” she added.
Overcoming great odds, P T Usha went on to win over 100 international medals and awards throughout her career. The Indian Olympics Association also named her the Best Sportswoman of the Century. She narrowly missed out on an Olympic medal at the 1984 Los Angeles games finishing fourth in the women’s 400m hurdles, losing the bronze medal by one-hundredth of a second.
‘’We did not have any facilities when I started my career. I used to train alongside railway tracks and on beaches as there were no training spaces then,’’said Usha after receiving the award.
‘’Things have changed a lot since then and I am very happy that BBC has taken this initiative, it will motivate the new generation to come into sports.’’ she opined
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju who was the guest of honour expressed his delight, ‘’I am very excited that BBC has organised this award. Achievement must be celebrated and awards are a way to recognise this. India has not been able to build a sporting culture. We are going to change that. We want to make India a sports powerhouse. We must build sports as a career and make sure our athletes are well taken care of. That is why we have introduced schemes like lifetime pensions for sportspersons who have won medals for India. ’’
BBC Director General, Tony Hall hosted the awards ceremony. He said: “Huge congratulations to P V Sindhu for winning the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year 2019. This award has been voted for by fans across the globe, and gives us an opportunity to celebrate female athletes from across India. It also reflects the BBC’s commitment to its ever-growing Indian audience. I wish Sindhu the best of luck and will be watching more brilliant achievements of hers over the next year.”
The BBC award ceremony was held in Delhi in the presence of eminent sports personalities, sports writers, journalists and dignitaries.
New Delhi Former champions PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth chalked out facile wins as they led five singles players and 4 doubles pairs from India into the quarter-finals of the Yonex-Sunrise India Open Badminton, here on Thursday.
Sindhu , who won the title , totally dominated the game as she outplayed Hong Kong’s World No. 37 Deng Joy Xuan in her 21-11, 21-13..
The Rio Olympic silver medallist will face Danish eighth seed Mia Blichfeldt, who earlier knocked out Riya Mookerjee 21-8,17-21, 21-13.
In the men section, 2015 champion Kidambi Srikanth made short work of China’s Lu Guangzu. 21-11,21-16. He will next face Swiss Open runner-up and compatriot Sai Praneeth in an all-Indian quarter-final .
Earlier Sai had prevailed over fifth seed Sameer Verma 18-21, 21-16, 21-15 in an enthralling all-Indian second round face-off.
This was Sai’s second consecutive victory over the World No. 15, just a week after getting the better of him at the Swiss Open, where he made it to the final.
Having beaten his practice partner, Sai pointed out how tough it can get facing a familiar opponent. “When you play an opponent who you play with, it is obviously tough. We know each other’s weaknesses and strengths, so with nobody outside the court to tell you something about strategies, you have to think on your own.”
HS Prannoy continued his unbeaten streak against former World No. 2 Jan O Jorgensen. With a 21-19, 20-22, 21-17 win, the Keralite registered his fourth win over the Dane in as many meetings.
Prannoy will next meet the second seed and former champion Viktor Axelsen, who needed just 32 minutes to register a commanding 21-11, 21-9 win over Thailand’s Suppanyu Avihingsanon.
Parupalli Kashyap made short work of World No. 58 Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk 21-11, 21-13 in just 37 minutes to secure his quarter-final berth. The former Commonwealth Games gold medallist ran away to 14-8 in the first game and continued the momentum in the second game to build an 11-3 lead.
Subhankar Dey failed to repeat his first round heroics and succumbed to a 16-21, 13-21 defeat to World No. 32 Wang Tzu Wei.
Fourth seed Ratchanok Intanon continued her quest for her third title with a fine 21-18, 21-11 win over China’s World No. 24 Chen Xiaoxin.
In a battle of generations, Chinese third seed He Bingjiao beat 2012 Olympic gold medallist Li Xuerui 21-18, 21-17 for her second consecutive victory over her senior compatriot.
Defending champion Beiwen Zhang beat Brittney Tam 21-6, 21-16 for her seventh win on the trot at this prestigious tournament while seventh seed Han Yue was a 21-13, 21-8 winner over Chananchida Jucharoen..
Commonwealth Games bronze medallists Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy beat China’s Chen Xiaofei and Zhou Chaomin 21-18, 21-14.
In men’s doubles, sixth seeds Manu Attri and Sumeeth Reddy triumphed 25-23, 21-18 over Huang Kaixiang and Wang Zekang in a gritty contest.
World No. 67 women’s doubles pair of Aparna Balan and Sruthi KP dug deep to edge the 40th ranked Ng Wing Yung and Yeung Nga Ting 21-19, 7-21, 21-17. Pranaav Jerry Chopra and Shivam Sharma too reached the last-eight stage, courtesy of a 21-15, 21-11 win over Aniruddha Mayekar and Vinay Kumar Singh.
In mixed doubles, Chopra and Sikki Reddy put up a courageous display before losing 21-19, 19-21, 14-21 to the fourth seeds Hafiz Faizal and Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja.
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