"Coach creating match-like situations for me" - PV Sindhu sets sights on Tokyo Olympics glory 

With major competitions being canceled, the raging COVID-19 pandemic has kept top Indian shuttlers on their toes ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) was forced to scrap the last three Olympic qualifiers in India, Malaysia and Singapore amid an ongoing spike in cases.

World champion PV Sindhu on Sunday expressed worry over the challenges leading up to the Tokyo Olympics, but she is focused on her mission to succeed at the global event. Sindhu has been training under Park Tae-sang to ramp up her Olympic preparations.

The Korean coach has been simulating a match situation in order to make the Rio Olympic silver medalist ready for the challenges in Tokyo.

"Well, we were thinking that Singapore will be the last event before the Olympics but now we don't have another option, so I am playing matches against different players and my coach Park is trying to create match situations for me in training," Sindhu told PTI.

"Obviously, we will be playing each other after a few months and there will be something new in our games, so I will have to prepare for that. Different players have different styles like Tai Tzu or Ratchanok have different styles of play but Park is there to guide me, to prepare me for it."

#100daystogo #tokyoolympics #tokyo2020 #letsgo 💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/naxIaIYhFl

— Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) April 14, 2021

---

---

"Don't know if we will be safe at Tokyo Olympics" - PV Sindhu

With protocols and rules in place, the country's athletes are scrambling to compete in qualifying events in various sports for a place on the Olympic team. But Sindhu, India's biggest Olympic medal prospect in badminton, is currently not thinking about things that are beyond one's control. She emphasized that safety comes first, which is why there was no option but to cancel the badminton qualifiers.

"It is sad that the whole world has come to a standstill but before sportspersons, we are human beings and life comes first. If tournaments happen, we don't know if we will be safe, we might think we will be but we can't be sure because we don't know from where this virus will come," Sindhu explained.

Let’s all retire from the current uncertainty. Let’s embrace a new way of living. It’s high time we adapt better to this new normal. pic.twitter.com/DB1qL907iq

— Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) November 9, 2020

Athletes at the Tokyo Olympics will face a strict set of rules throughout the Games to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infections. Any athlete who tests COVID-19 positive and those in close proximity will be sent home immediately.

Sindhu will head into the Tokyo Olympics as a potential medalist for India.

Sindhu believes the Tokyo Olympics will be different from other editions when the event is held in a tight quarantine bubble. She also stressed the importance of regular tests at the Games since athletes will be pouring in from all corners of the world.

"In Thailand, we were tested every 2-3 days, in All England an entire contingent had to pull out for one case in their flight but we have to deal with it. Even in Olympics, I have heard that everyday they will be testing us. Before we take off, we have to clear an RT-PCR test and after getting down we do a test again, it is definitely a tough task.

"It is the Olympics and there will be so many athletes from so many countries but they also have to be very careful. As an athlete we have to prepare and just hope that everything is fine in the next few months. Unless you take care of yourself, it can spread anytime, anywhere. So it will be tough," Sindhu concluded.

---