2024 Paris Olympics: 3 players who could challenge PV Sindhu in her quest for a medal ft. Chen Yu Fei

PV Sindhu will enter the Paris Olympics as the only shuttler in the women's singles field to have medaled consecutively at the last two Games. However, the Indian will have to navigate trickier waters this time around as she aims to make her way to the podium yet again.

Sindhu made her Olympic debut at the Rio Games, and while she went in as a seeded player, she was very much the underdog. However, to everyone's surprise, the Indian took down the likes of Tai Tzu Ying and Nozomi Okuhara on her way to the finals, eventually settling for silver.

The Tokyo Olympics was somewhat of a similar story. While PV Sindhu was no longer the underdog, a bad run before the Games meant that her bronze came as a welcome surprise. Now, as the 29-year-old preps for her third outing at the marquee event, here are three shuttlers who can crush her dreams of a third consecutive Olympic medal.

#3. He Bingjiao

The first player who could stop Sindhu in her tracks at the Paris Olympics will be China's He Bingjiao. The duo will likely run into each other immediately after the group stage matches, giving He the chance to put an early end to the Indian's campaign at the Games.

As far as head-to-head goes, the Chinese World No.8 will enter the match with a slight advantage, having taken the victory in 11 of their 20 encounters. The last time the two clashed swords was at the Asian Games in 2023, where He beat Sindhu 21-16, 21-12.

However, one thing that will give the Indian shuttler some confidence as she runs into her at the Paris Olympics, is the fact that she's always gotten the better of her Chinese counterpart when it mattered the most. Sindhu has run into the World No.8 twice at major medal matches, once at the BWF 2019 BWF World Tour Finals, and once at the Tokyo Olympics bronze medal match. Both times, the Indian emerged victorious in straight games.

#2. Chen Yu Fei

Yonex French Open Badminton 2024

Another Chinese opponent that could crush PV Sindhu's hope for a repeat podium finish at the Paris Olympics is reigning Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei. If the Indian World No.13 survives her round of 16 battle with He Bingjiao, she will most likely pull up against the Tokyo gold medalist.

In terms of head-to-heads, PV Sindhu and Chen Yu Fei are drawn exactly even, having each won six of their encounters. However, despite the equal head-to-head, it is important to note that the Chinese has won all of the duo's last three encounters, including their most recent battle at the 2024 French Open.

Additionally, the World No.2 has been on a spectacular run so far in her season, having made four finals in 2024.

#1. Carolina Marin

Badminton - Olympics: Day 14

If PV Sindhu successfully navigates her way through her battles with the Chinese early at the Paris Olympics, she will likely face Carolina Marin. The two have fought each other many times, with their most memorable clash being the 2016 Rio Olympics finals. When it comes to their stats against each other, the Spaniard is the superior player by far on paper, having won 12 of the duo's 17 matches.

Additionally, Marin has also won all of their last six clashes, with the last time Sindhu beat her long-time rival being the 2018 Malaysia Open.

If Sindhu does lose to Marin at the Paris Olympics, the Indian would get a second chance at keeping her medal hopes alive in the form of a bronze medal match.