Indian shuttler PV Sindhu has pulled out of the Japan Open and the Korea Open Super Series according to the Times of India. However, the 21-year-old does not have any injury concerns and lack of match practise has been cited as the reason for her decision.
Sindhu, who wrote her name in the history books by becoming the first Indian woman to win a silver medal at the Olympic Games, will return to competitive action in the Denmark Open Super Series scheduled in the later half of October.
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She decided to give the ongoing Japan Open a miss and will also not participate in the Korea Open starting on 27 September 2016. Her coach Pullela Gopichand confirmed that there were no injury concerns and she will be back in the Super Series tournament at Odense starting on October 18.
Gopichand said, "She will be back for the Denmark Open. She will also compete in the French Open next month.We had to make some changes in her schedule."
Also read: India at Korea Open 2016: Schedule, List of Indian players, timings in IST
Sindhu gave an outstanding performance in the Rio Olympics earlier in August. She defeated higher ranked and more experienced opponents on her way to the final. After Saina Nehwal’s ouster, she carried the hope of billions of Indians and won a medal for her country. However, the world number 10 lost in the finals to top-seeded Spaniard Carolina Marin in a tense final.
In the process, Sindhu became India's first female athlete to ever win a silver medal at the Olympic Games. The youngster has won two bronze medals at the World Championships already and is surely India’s future in the sport. She is, however, yet to win a Super Series title but it just seems a matter of time now. Given her age, she can only improve from here on.
Also read: PV Sindhu's Olympic final registered more viewers than ICC T20 World Cup semi-final
With various functions and felicitations by the State and Central bodies taking up a majority of her time, her lack of match practise has been cited as the reason behind her withdrawal. Her preparation for a competitive return has been halted time and again.
Gopichand although claimed that the Olympic medallist will take part in the China Open Premier and the Honk Kong Super Series later this year. Kidambi Srikanth, the quarter-finalist at the Olympics, Ajay Jayaram, Sai Praneeth and HS Prannoy will lead the line for India in Sindhu's absence.
