PV Sindhu, the Indian Olympic star, got her mobile phone back from coach Pullela Gopichand after the Olympics final in Rio de Janeiro. The silver medalist shuttler from Hyderabad, however, said her phone would surely be confiscated by Gopichand again once she returns to the badminton court in her home city early next month.
“For three months, I did not have my mobile phone with me. Gopi sir asked me to concentrate on training and practice sessions. I listened to him and did whatever he told me to. Once the final match was over against Carolina Marin in Rio, the coach gave me back the mobile after returning to the Games Village’, she said in New Delhi on Monday evening to the Telegraph.
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Sindhu further spoke about her current whereabouts post Rio. The 21-year-old said she is enjoying every moment of her feat and the curtains have not been drawn on the celebrations yet. She has been asked by Gopichand to resume training on 15th September but plans to return to the court before that.
“I am sure my mobile would once again be confiscated. Gopi Sir does not want any distraction when I get into the training mode,” she said with a pinch of laughter.
When asked about which tournament she would be taking part in, she preferred keeping it under the wraps but confirmed her participation in a tournament scheduled for mid-September.
Also read: PV Sindhu's Olympic final registered more viewers than ICC T20 World Cup semi-final
Undeterred determination and enormous training brought unparalleled success to the young star in the women’s singles in the Rio Olympics.
Seeded 10 in the draw, Sindhu registered a series of upset wins over better ranked Japanese and Chinese players to become the first Indian ever to reach the finals of a badminton competition in the Olympics. Against world No. 1 Carolina Marin in the finals, the Indian won the first round but lost the next two.
The pouring in of awards continued for Sindhu after her return to India. She has been honoured by several private organisations and state governments for her remarkable achievement. A total cash reward of Rs 13 crores has, so far, been announced in her name. Also, Hyderabad District Badminton Association president Chamundeshwarnath gifted her, along with the other two India-bound Rio stars, a BMW car each.
