INTERVIEW: PV Sindhu opens up about her coaching inspirations, new academy, and the challenges of age | Badminton News

From Indonesian coach Mulyo Handoyo, PV Sindhu says she learnt “sharp strategy.” From Kim Ji Hyun, “innovative techniques”. Park Tae Sang propped up her “defense”, and the 6-7 months with coach Agus Dwi Santoso, was work on her “footwork”, if she were to dill the time leading up to Paris. She credits Prakash Padukone with bringing “perfection in strategy”, and her most successful coach since formative years, Pullela Gopichand, with “overall game, strokes and movement.”
There were others, SM Arif and Md Siyadatullah, who shaped her game in myriad ways. But as Sindhu ventures into planning her own academy, she reiterates that training styles may vary, but an athlete’s success hinges squarely on the coach-trainee equation. “I’ve had the privilege to be trained some remarkable coaches and each one added depth to my game. But though styles may be different, the bond needs to be strong in terms of understanding what the athlete is going through in life, on and off the court,” she says soon after ground breaking ceremony for the PV Sindhu Center for Badminton and Sports Excellence, at Arilova Junction in Visakhapatnam.
Reasons for choosing Vizag were simple. “I was given land the government for the academy in Vizag. Also, Hyderabad has many centres already. Vizag has a lot of youngsters who want to play, and it’s a nice environment. So why not Vizag?” she asks.
Having trained at and studied several high performance centres, Sindhu reckons she can put together a world-class facility that will offer every resource needed to excel. “We will have state of the art practice courts, gyms, rehab centres, outdoor track and the best HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning) system to train players for all different types of international conditions. We will offer everything to build peak performance and for personal growth. I’m not just looking at profits but looking to give back to the sport,” she added.
Sindhu was upfront in stating that while coming up as a player, she received all possible help possible. “I won’t say I was lacking in anything in my early years. But it’s never just about going to an academy and automatically succeeding. It’s never easy and it’s about having the right coach, and following the right way. It doesn’t happen in a few months. Becoming successful takes years and years of hard work. Also some find success early in life, and others might take some time. We need to understand you can’t win all the time, so coaches and athletes have to be patient,” she added.
Sindhu has been acquainted with some of these struggles in recent years. “But there’s always ups and downs. And you need to build a bond past the rough patch which you are likely to run into. Usually if you can get past that then you strike an equation where you develop an understanding where you don’t even need to speak,” she says.
Though the Vizag Academy is still in Stage 1 of taking off, with an infra partner overseeing the project, Sindhu has plans to bring in assorted specials as coaches. “We are assembling a world-class set of coaches, two international ones, but just a strong diverse group with different skills. I believe the bond between coach and athlete is most important, so that will be looked at closely. Also since these will be on a residential campus, we will ensure there’s dedication and discipline in the hostels,” Sindhu says.
Though she might have ventured into the next step in her career, her focus remains on her own game, which is still not in wind-down mode even if she has slipped to World No 19. Ask her about the new Japanese Tomoka Miyazaki, snapping at all heels — including hers in the last loss at Swiss Open 21-16, 19-21, 16-21 — and Sindhu says she will take up the challenge head on. “Yes, Tomoka is very talented. But we learn with every match. I’m not worried about her, we train hard and the good results will follow,” she says.
She has the Japan Masters, China Masters and Syed Modi lined up next month, and offers that the training is on track. “The next 6 months I will be into intense training, refining my game. Right now I have Anup Sridhar and Lee Hyun-il deciding my strategies,” she says.
Responding to the challenges of ‘age’ and how it’s hung like a millstone around the neck, Sindhu says all she can do is respond to the challenge, and let people yak. “What’s changed from 10 years ago is fitness is very important now, I’m committed to improving strength and flexibility. Attention to detail is everything. The big problem for me isn’t age, it’s how there’s a different game style with every player. I have to be smart according to the new player. And ensure I don’t overtrain or undertrain,” she says.

On her way to Kumamoto in Japan at the airport, Sindhu jokes she’s sacrificed the one thing she’s loved for long. “Bubble tea. Yea, I still love it. But I have to make sure I’m controlling my diet, can’t let it affect my game,” she says calmly. Her three-course starter appetite next week has Busanan Ongbamrungphan, Natsuki Nidaira and Wang Zhi Yi on the menu, and no bubble tea. Love can wait.