PV Sindhu mulling withdrawal from Victor Korea Open to play in India

PV Sindhu may choose to withdraw from the Korea Open.

It is reliably learnt that P V Sindhu might opt to withdraw from the Korea Open in order to stay fresh and participate in the Indian Open later next month. This is a refreshing departure from the norm by the fledgling star, considering that the event in Korea is a tier II tournament offering more ranking points and prize money than the India Open, which is a tier III event.

The move, if indeed the case, underlines the importance of having a support team that is able to guide the athlete in her formative years. The fact that the people around her are willing to look at the longer term and ignore the opportunity for ranking points and money is indeed reassuring for her growing band of fans in the country.

Sindhu is currently in New Delhi participating in the 78th Senior Nationals to pay her dues to the Petroleum Board that supports her blooming career. It is understood from sources close to the player that the decision is being seriously considered ahead of Sunday’s deadline for withdrawal of entries from the $600,000 Victor Korea Open tournament, which is one of the five Super Series Premier events on the BWF calendar.

If the decision is indeed based on the logic that Sindhu should be available for tournaments in India, it would be a big compromise on the part of the 18 year old to give up the chance to play at one of the most celebrated events on the calendar. In contrast the Syed Modi India Open is a Grand Prix Gold event to be played in Lucknow, with a prize money pot of just $120,000.

The rising star of Indian badminton is currently ranked eleventh in the world after a brief flirtation with the top 10 earlier this year. Sindhu’s schedules are closely managed by her coach Pullela Gopichand, who has been diligent in managing the workload on his players. It is understood that the decision has already been discussed with Gopi and we will know in the next 48 hours if Sindhu is withdrawn from the prestigious event.

The event is scheduled to begin on 7th January and with Saina Nehwal already ruling herself out from the event due to exhaustion, the tournament might suffer a cold shoulder from Indian audiences. The only remaining source of interest might be Kidambi Srikanth who is chalked in to play the qualifiers. The player from Guntur who is also from the Gopichand academy is currently ranked 33 in the world, not enough to earn him a direct entry.

Meanwhile, there are indicators in the media that Sindhu may have landed a lucrative deal with Li Ning. Sindhu’s current contract with Yonex expires at the end of this year. Sportskeeda has learnt that negotiations are still under way but have reached an advanced stage. A deal could be likely announced in the next few days.