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PV Sindhu has mathematically booked her place at the Paris Olympics. India’s leading women’s singles star made a spectacular comeback from injury at the French Open last week, reaching the quarterfinals. She also reached the second round of the prestigious All England Open, where she lost to World No. 1, An Seyoung, 19-21, 11-21.
The French Open and the All England Open are Super 750 and Super 1000 events, respectively. They are two of the highest-level events in the BWF calendar and have a handful of points on offer. Sindhu’s performance at the two events helped her acquire enough points to ensure she secured her spot for the Paris Olympics mathematically.
The qualification criteria for the Paris Olympics requires a player to be ranked within the top 16 by April 28, 2024, the end of the qualification period. Sindhu currently sits at the 11th position in the world rankings. Sindhu will be the only women’s singles shuttler from India, as the next highest-ranked Indian is Aakarshi Kashyap, who is far behind at the 43rd position.
Sindhu eyes a hat-trick of medals at the Olympics
PV Sindhu is already a two-time medalist at the Olympic Games. Winning her first medal, a silver on debut in Rio. She went down to Spain’s Carolina Marin in a highly watched final.
Her second medal, a bronze, came at the subsequent games held in Tokyo. After losing to Tai Tzu-Ying in the semifinals, she went on to beat China’s He Bingjiao in the bronze medal match to secure her second medal at the Games.
She became the first two-time Olympic medalist for India in badminton and only the second Indian shuttler to win a medal at the Olympics after Saina Nehwal achieved the feat in 2012.
Sindhu will be looking to better her remarkable performances from Rio and Tokyo and secure the gold at the Paris Olympics, scheduled to be held in July-August, later this year.
Apart from PV Sindhu, India’s leading men’s doubles pair of Satwisairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who are currently World No. 1, and India’s top men’s singles player HS Prannoy, who is World No. 7, have also sealed their spots for the Paris Olympics. While Sindhu will make her third appearance at the prestigious multi-sport event, it will be a first for Prannoy and the duo of Rankireddy and Shetty.
