File image of PV Sindhu.© AFP
After the disappointment of Paris Olympics 2024, India's star shuttler PV Sindhu has taken a new route. After stating her intention to take a break to regain her motivation for badminton, Sindhu will now still aim for glory at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, her father PV Ramana has revealed. The 29-year-old will be getting back into action by participating in the upcoming European season, and has followed the path of fellow shuttler Lakshya Sen in her choice of coach for the tour.
Sindhu's father said that she has regained her drive to gun for more Asian Games glory despite not having anything left to prove.
"Sindhu has nothing left to prove, but she still thinks she can aim at the Asian Games," Ramana told The Indian Express. Much like the Olympics, the Asian Games is another platform where Sindhu boasts silver and bronze, but not the gold.
Sindhu will be accompanied for her European tour by former badminton player Anup Sridhar, who had been coaching Lakshya Sen until January 2024. Her contract with her previous coach, Indonesia's Agus Dwi Santoso, ended after the Olympics.
"We are looking for a new coach with Agus's contract ending. We are keen to see how a partnership with Anup Sridhar works out, and are looking at 4-5 names going forward. Anup will travel to Finland and will train her in Hyderabad in coming days," Ramana said.
Ramana also revealed that former coach Park Tae-Sung of Korea was also in the mix, but ultimately not chosen. "It's not like they parted ways after a fight. It's just that both me and Sindhu felt the partnership wasn't working out and yielding results," he said.
With Park, Sindhu won two Commonwealth Games golds and bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Sridhar will accompany Sindhu for the Arctic Open in Finland (starting October 8) and then the Denmark Open (starting October 15).