Struggling form puts PV Sindhu’s Paris 2024 medal hopes in jeopardy

Indian badminton star PV Sindhu is a shining beacon of women’s sports in the country. Playing her last Olympics, she is India’s only female player to finish on the Olympic podium twice. With her precision and spirit for the game, she has been India’s top player for years. But despite that, a medal from her at the Paris Olympics 2024 seems unlikely.

PV Sindhu’s Tryst With Injuries

Sindhu has suffered two injuries in the last two years. During the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Sindhu sustained a stress fracture in her left foot. Despite the injury, she continued playing to win a medal for India. This dedication came at a cost, forcing her to miss the remainder of the year’s tournaments, including the World Championships and World Tour Finals. She made a comeback in January 2023. 

Although she wasn’t having a great run, the second setback came later, in 2023. In August while competing at the French Open, Sindhu injured her left knee. This kept her out of the badminton scene for 6 months. This knee injury significantly impacted her training and disrupted her momentum leading up to the Paris Olympics.

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Performance in 2023

The past year has been a rollercoaster for PV Sindhu. Returning from a stress fracture in early 2023, her comeback was riddled with inconsistency. First-round exits have become a regular thing for her in the past year, but despite flashes of brilliance like reaching the Spain Masters final, she hasn’t managed to win any BWF tournaments in the past year. While she managed a bronze in the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships and some semifinal finishes, overall, it hasn’t been her strongest side. 

Sindhu’s Tournament Record

Big Challenge in the Paris Olympics 2024

That’s not the only concern that PV Sindhu has at Olympics 2024. While her performances have taken a considerable hit, the top-10 women’s singles shuttlers have grown exponentially in the last two years. In fact, winning against them has been difficult for the Hyderabadi. 

An Se Young (South Korea):  World No. 1 An Se Young is perhaps the biggest threat to Sindhu. She has been dominant this year, winning 4 out of 8 tournaments she participated in. Notably, Sindhu has never beaten Young in their past 7 meetings.

Chen Yu Fei (China):  Another significant challenge for Sindhu is Chen Yu Fei. Although their matches are always close, the Chinese ace has been particularly impressive in her last 4 tournaments, reaching the finals in all of them and winning two.

Tai Tzu Ying (Taiwan):  Tai Tzu Ying is currently in top form, recently winning the Uber Cup. Sindhu last faced Ying in the 2023 Indonesia Open, where she lost in straight games.

Carolina Marin (Spain):  A legendary player, Carolina Marin boasts a dominant record against Sindhu, winning 12 out of their 17 encounters. This year alone, she has secured victories at the Swiss Open, All England Open Badminton Championships, and European Championships.

Can’s Rule Out a Medal

But champion players have ways to make a comeback. She might be looking out of sync for now for sure, but one never knows, what performances she produces under immense pressure. She just needs a few rallies, points, and eventually a few matches to get her third Paris Olympics 2024 medal.

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