Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu on Sunday disclosed that she will be training under Prakash Padukone at his academy in Bengaluru in the lead up to the Paris Olympics. “Prakash sir is assuming the role of the mentor in my setup. I started training with him at the end of August, and it’s been uphill ever since. He’s more than a mentor; he’s my guide, my guru, and, above all, a true friend. I wholeheartedly believe he possesses the magic to bring out the absolute best from my game. I am so grateful he reached out to me with one call when I was in Japan, and we’ve built on that connection exceptionally well,” Sindhu tweeted earlier in the morning.
She added: “Dear sir, I AM PUMPED!! Looking forward to training with you!”
Sindhu has been struggling for form and as per a report published in the Indian Express, the shuttler is nursing a sore left knee. Sharing her views on the same, Sindhu said: “Definitely not anything major. But need a few weeks of rest and then I’ll start my rehab. Because the ultimate aim is the Olympics. But before that, my motto is to come back completely 100% fit. Not 50% coming back and playing.”
Her mentor and India’s legendary shuttler Padukone is confident of getting her ward’s form back on track. Padukone affirms that the long-term goal is an Olympic gold, the only medal which has eluded from Sindhu. She had won a silver at the Rio Olympics, and clinched a bronze in the previous games held in Tokyo.
“Long-term goal is the Olympic gold. Nothing less than that. Along the way try to win the All-England title as well since I believe it is one of the toughest tournaments on the circuit,” Padukone was quoted as saying in the report.
Sindhu lackluster show in 2023
For a player of her reputation, Sindhu has so far had an underwhelming 2023 but will hope for a fresh start as we move towards its end.
Apart from the several first and second-round exits, she has made it to the final of Madrid Masters, where she was outclassed by Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska Tunjung. She made it to the final four in Malaysia Masters, Canada Open, Arctic Open, and Denmark Open.
