IBL - Saina stood firm, Sindhu needs to learn

PV Sindhu

Well, as a fan of the youngster, this was really a shocking result, that PV Sindhu lost comprehensively to a vibrant Saina Nehwal in the women’s singles.

After all, this was the first ever final of the prestigious and globally acclaimed IBL. It was a tournament meant to promote the young talented Indian shutters, and though Sindhu lost, Saina’s victory is equally delightful and a matter of pride.

She has not been able to perform as per the expectations since last few months. Also, since PV Sindhu was able to win a bronze in the recent world badminton championships, she became the obvious choice to challenge Saina.

But the way Saina displayed her skill and cool temperament, it is a very good omen for her bright future. In fact, perhaps this final encounter has infused enormous energy and confidence – the essential ingredients for a young shuttler moving towards becoming world number one.

Apart from lifting the title, the most thrilling achievement in my opinion is the fact that Saina remained undefeated till the end. I can foresee her guiding the Indian shuttlers in her own academy just after a few years! That way, she will have a chance to stick to her passion. Thanks for the delightful performance Saina, you have firmly established your supremacy.

Now let us analyse Sindhu. This defeat is not going to have any damaging effect on her career. However, it is a matter of concern that this match, contrary to the hopes of millions, lasted for a mere 35 minutes.

This match was supposed to be one of the most challenging for both the players. But the way Saina overpowered Sindhu, it was quite disappointing. Technically, there was no major flaws noticed in Sindhu’s game play, but she failed to implement the strategy required to tackle Saina.

She had practically given up after losing a few points. Her body language and facial expressions were very disappointing, and not acceptable from a player known for her die-hard fighting spirit.

After all, the mentor and coach would have definitely worked out the moves required to be adopted by Sindhu to handle Saina – who is a senior and more experienced player. Even the commentators were of the view that there is no dearth of the talent in PV Sindhu, but the spirit was missing.

With the guidance of genius Gopichand, she can improve in all aspects – from her smashes to drop shots, net play to executing perfect placement or positioning herself at the right place at the right moment.

But self esteem, confidence, and not losing focus when trailing, are the qualities which depend on the individual itself. This is high time Sindhu should consult and seek professional guidance to handle such pressure situations. Hopefully, her family, Gopichand and Saina Nehwal will be able to guide Sindhu as to how to cope with pressure and remain stress free.

P V Sindhu is an Arjuna awardee at the age of just 18 years – this speaks volume about her potential. Even the higher ranked Chinese players have appreciated the skill and fighting spirit of P V Sindhu.

Sindhu needs to adopt a positive approach to enhance her self-esteem.

After analysing her game, the fans would love to hear more from her too. We believe that by just participating more and increasing the level of communication, Sindhu will be ruling the court and the hearts of millions of well wishers when IBL’s next edition comes around. Amen.