Q/ How was your training stint in England?
A/ It was really nice and different. I went to the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. I am glad it really worked out as I wanted to go for a long time. This was an opportunity I had; there were no tournaments happening. It is important to work on your body. It is different from my training sessions here, [and there was a] different coach. [It is] good to take tips from everyone as all [of them] have different perspectives and see your matches differently.
Former England player Rajiv Ouseph was there and he would give me feedback. I worked on my strokes and skill set. It is a long process. It is not like you change overnight. I learnt many things game and skill-wise. I enjoyed myself.
Q/ Were you in touch with chief coach Pullela Gopichand and foreign coach Park Tae Sang regularly?
A/ I was talking to them, yes. I was also in touch with my trainer back in Hyderabad.
Q/ What did you learn from the Thailand Open, your first tournament after the lockdown?
A/ Park was happy. See, at the end of the day, you win some, you lose some (Sindhu lost in the first round). Game-wise, I was fine. It felt good to be back on court. It was the first tournament after a long time; it happens, things might not work out. I was excited to get back. I felt the difference coming back after so long.
Q/ Most of the other top players, like Carolina Marin and Tai Tzu Ying, came back all guns blazing after the break. Did you feel rusty?
A/ The game has changed and so have the strategies. All players got a long time off, and they will be more competitive and aggressive. The top 10 players have the same standards; it just matters who plays well on that day. Rusty? I think so, yeah. Every player is different. One day [you may feel] rusty, the next day you are giving your 100 per cent.
Q/ What have you been focusing on in your game?
A/ I am working on my skill and defence. The Olympics will happen in around five months, and it is important to prepare and focus on these tournaments.
Q/ What was the experience of being in a bio-bubble?
A/ This is something new to all of us. It is important to take care. Thailand was good. Conducting a tournament is not easy [and] they were careful. It is important to get yourself checked regularly. It is challenging but you have to get used to these conditions.
Q/ How has it been training separately at the Gachibowli indoor stadium?
A/ Every day I train with Park from 6am to 8am. I do not train with anybody else; if we need a sparring partner, we call another player or coach. It is a big venue of international standards, and it is important to get used to conditions where drift plays a major role. It will be useful when Tokyo happens.
Q/ Given the uncertainty regarding tournaments in the run-up to the Olympics, how are you planning the preparations for Tokyo?
A/ We need to get used to the situation. I need to focus on tournaments that will happen. That is important.
Q/ While you train with Park, what is Gopichand’s role in your preparations?
A/ Park makes plans and interacts with Gopi sir, who is busy training with other players. Park travels with me.
Q/ How would you describe your journey as a badminton player and as a person, from Rio to now?
A/ As a badminton player, there would be a lot of difference, game wise; as a person, with age, I have gained a lot of confidence and belief in myself.
Q/ So does Sindhu still follow coaches’ instructions or does she collaborate to figure out what works best?
A/ I apply what the coaches tell me; if it does not work, as an athlete I have the right to say that it is not working out, ask why it is so, and also what is next. If it works, brilliant. If it does not, then they work together on plan B. It is a combination of coach and athlete. As athletes, if it does not work on court, we also have to think of something else.
Q/ When you were a teenager, would you question or analyse as much?
A/ Back then, not much. With so much experience, it is a bit different. Back then, playing in the Olympics for the first time (2016), you are still in the process of learning. Even now I am in the process of learning, but now it is also about improvising because you know. Now if I tend to make mistakes, I bounce back; one has to. With all the past experiences, you learn a lot more and respond accordingly.
Q/ As you have grown in stature, what are the challenges you have faced on and off the court?
A/ Off court, I have been happy as my parents are always supportive and encouraging. It is good that I got to spend a lot of time with them because of the lockdown. On court, I have learnt a lot when it comes to matches, win or lose. They say when you lose, you tend to learn a lot more from your mistakes. I have fallen down, I have won… that win (2019 World Championships) took my confidence to another level. I have grown up. I have been able to control my emotions. You need the self-confidence to stay calm. There are times when you tend to lose yourself in the game or go blank; that is where the emotional and mental aspects come in.
Parents and prayers: Sindhu with mother, Vijaya, and father, P.V. Ramana (right), at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh | PTI
Q/ How has your understanding of your own game changed over the years?
A/ Now if I go blank when I am playing, I have option B. I know what she (opponent) is doing and what I need to do to counter that. Before, I would think about what to do, or listen to the coach on what needs to be done. Also, one needs to have the capacity to execute the options. I am more in control of my game [now].
Q/ Is this Sindhu more ruthless and clinical on court?
A/ I think I am normal, friendly Sindhu (laughs). But when it comes to the game, you have to be ruthless and aggressive.
Q/ You have often had close matches with opponents in major competitions and have lost a few. How do you overcome the disappointment and fight back?
A/ It (losing close matches) does hurt me! Even now, I feel bad or upset for some time, but it is important to let go and focus on the next match. When I was young, I would feel bad but my parents would tell me ‘It is over now, time to think of the next one.’ It comes with learning. You imbibe it. Also, you start thinking on your own. After some time, you feel it is okay to lose sometimes; you cannot change it, [so] move on.
Q/ How are your parents coping with this grownup Sindhu?
A/ (Laughs) They are always happy. Who does not want their child to grow up and be independent? They are there with me no matter what, and they support me in whatever I want. At the end of the day, that is what parents want (laughs).
Q/ The Olympic silver, Asian Games silver, world championship gold—how do you cope with growing expectations?
A/ Expectations are always there. I do not think about them when I go into a match. I just think about giving my best. If I do that, it is good for me, the country and its people. If I think that people want me to win, there will be added pressure. It is important for an athlete to be focused.
Q/ Did you feel the burden of expectations during the 2016 Olympic final in Rio and the 2019 World Championships final in Switzerland?
A/ More than that, I desperately wanted to win for myself! At Rio, I did not know what the situation was like back home! [At the] World Championships, I had two silver and two bronze [medals] already. It was a much-awaited win for me; I was desperate. Before the match, I just wanted to give my 200 per cent, which I did.
Q/ You are one of the most popular athletes in India, on par with cricketers. How do you cope with the fame?
A/ People who support and love me will always do so. It is nice when they support and encourage you on social media. I have never felt it is too much. When you are in the limelight you need to enjoy it, and I am enjoying it right now.
Q/ Do you enjoy being a superstar badminton player?
A/ Of course. I want to enjoy it for a couple of years more! (Laughs)