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Aggression is the name of the game and PV Sindhu now swears by it. However, it wasn’t easy for Sindhu to develop into an aggressive player. For a soft-spoken girl like her, being aggressive meant the Hyderabadi had to change most of her personality, at least on the court.
Read: India at Tokyo Olympics 2021: Badminton
How Gopichand transformed PV Sindhu
PV Sindhu's coach, Pullela Gopichand, laid down some of the strictest rules ahead of the Rio Olympics in 2016 to keep her focus uninterrupted on her training. From having no mobile phone in hand to following a strict diet regimen to even screaming on the court during practice — PV Sindhu had it really tough.
While no mobile phone or the lack of gastronomical indulgence could be adhered to, the nice girl in PV Sindhu couldn’t be screaming on the court. Gopichand even stopped practice on all the courts in his academy, stating that everyone would continue only if Sindhu obeys his orders and gets out the anger on court.
PV Sindhu would often break down on the courts, unable to obey her coach. However, soon, the 25-year-old realized the rationale behind her coach’s instructions.
Also read: Shuttler PV Sindhu vows to give it her all at Tokyo Olympics
At her first Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Sindhu started to get the aggression in her out in the form of anger and shouting. After winning the semifinal against Japan's Nozomi Okuhara, Sindhu let out a cry. Gopichand knew she was on the right track.
The Rio Olympics final was a scream-fest. Neither Carolina Marin nor PV Sindhu gave an inch to either. Although Sindhu finished second best, she passed the on-court aggression lesson with flying colors with her no-holds-barred display.
A new Sindhu was born on the court. Her softness vanished once she stepped onto the court and she was no longer the nice girl.
But, once the last point was won, PV Sindhu went back to her old self when she walked to Marin’s side. The Indian shuttler hugged Marin before putting the Spaniard’s racquet back in her bag in a fantastic example of sportsmanship.
