Be it India’s first Olympic Silver in badminton, World Championship gold, and many more, PV Sindhu has earned various laurels for the Country. However, the 2019 season has been a roller-coaster ride for India’s star shuttler. Since the historic World Championship gold, her performance been on a downward run with her best performance in reaching the finals of Indonesia Open.
One should not forget that the 24-year-old has given the country several historic wins which have defined India on the International Circuit. She has entertained the World with her high-voltage performances. She has gone past all odds and I will give you a flashback of her best performances that show that she is a fighter and there is yet more to come from her in the near future.
Also read: Badminton rivalry: Saina Nehwal versus PV Sindhu
#1 World Championship 2019
The 24-year-old shuttler scripted history by winning gold at the 2019 World Championships beating Japanese shuttler, Nozomi Okuhara 21-7,21-7. By doing so, she became the first Indian badminton player to clinch a gold at the World championships. Sindhu finally overcame the loss of being robbed the title by Okuhara in 2017 with a dominating win over the same opponent. It was cliffhanger final that went on for one hour and fifty minutes, but eventually in favor of Okuhara. In 2018, she won silver after losing to Carolina Marin in the finals.
With this win, she earned her 5th World Championship medal- one gold, two silver and 2 bronze.
#2 BWF World Tour Finals 2018
On 16 December 2018, Sindhu let out tears of joy by clinching gold at the World Tour finals with a win over 2017 World champion, Nozomi Okuhara. With a 21-19, 21-17 straight-game victory that went on for 1 hour and 2 minutes, she became the first Indian to win a World Tour Finals title.
This was her maiden title of the year after playing 17 tournaments that season. During this phase she went 13 months without a title reaching the finals of 7 tournaments.
She also beat Tai Tzu Ying for the first time in seven meetings that paved her way to top her group. Sindhu did not lose a game in any of the group matches and won against Akane Yamaguchi, Ratchanok Intanon, Beiwen Zhang on her road to the most memorable end to the 2018 season.
#3 BWF World Championship 2017
This match is scripted to be one of the best matches in the history of World Badminton. The epic and nail biting encounter between Sindhu and Nozomi Okuhara will rest in the minds of all badminton fans. The match lasted for 110 minutes and after the match, all the people in the stadium stood up to salute the warriors that fought so hard to win the title.
While Sindhu used her smashes and quick returns, Okuhara covered the court swiftly, often catching Sindhu off guard. The match featured an outstanding rally that went on till 73 shots- the longest in Women’s badminton. The scores were very close, with Okuhara winning the match 21-19, 20-22, 22-20 after a draining third game.
#4 Korea Open 2017
Sindhu went on to become the first Indian to win the Korea Open Super Series. She won against, Nozomi Okuhara, 22-20, 11-21, 21-18 in 83 minutes nail-biting final. Sindhu avenged her loss at the earlier World Championships final, and also this was her second super series title of the year. Earlier, Okuhara had conquered Sindhu in the World Championship final that lasted for 110 minutes. Sindhu displayed extreme stubbornness and a never give up attitude to win the match and eventually won the super series title.
#5 Rio Olympics 2016
On August 19, at the 2016 Rio Olympics, 21-year-old Sindhu won silver in an intensely close encounter against the then World no. 1, Carolina Marin. While all attention was focused on London 2012 bronze medallist, Saina Nehwal, Sindhu won her maiden Olympic medal in her debut at the quadrennial event.
She made it into the final by defeating all her opponents in straight games. Notably, she became the youngest and first Indian woman to win an Olympic Silver. She may have lost the final but she won the heart of millions after the match. It was a closely fought final with Sindhu winning the first game. However, the Spaniard took control over the other two games winning the match 19-21, 21-12, 21-15 . However, the courage and tenacity with which Sindhu played communicated her undoubted abilities to the world.
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