Former Indian badminton star Saina Nehwal has praised PV Sindhu's improved attacking game and said the Japan Open triumph has shown that the two-time Olympic medallist still has the ability to win more major titles.
Sindhu, 31, clinched her maiden Super 750 title at the Japan Open after defeating three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in straight games in the women's singles final in Tokyo on Sunday. The victory was her biggest title since winning the 2019 World Championships. "She has attacked very hard. Her attack has improved a lot," Saina said at the sidelines of a Niva Bupa event.
Saina, who has closely followed Sindhu's career, said the last few years had been particularly difficult for the former world champion as she dealt with injuries and the pressure of competing at the highest level. However, she believes the Japan Open victory could provide Sindhu with a much-needed boost in confidence.
"The last two-three years were actually very tough. She was trying to come out of the injuries, but the way she has come out of it... she defeated three or four top players here quite comfortably," Saina said.
She added that while age and injuries can make the sport increasingly demanding, Sindhu's recent performance showed that she still has plenty to offer. "But I think after winning this, she has got her confidence back. And you can never write a champion off. She is always going to come back and do well," Saina said.
The 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist also urged India's younger badminton players to focus on consistency. She said emerging talents needed to back their performances with strong results at successive tournaments.
"A lot of youngsters who are playing well, they have to come and win. Because consistency is very important in badminton," Saina said. India will host the Badminton World Championships from August 17 to 23, marking the return of the prestigious event to the country after 17 years. Saina, who won World Championships silver and bronze medals in 2015 and 2017, respectively, said Indian players had the ability to win medals on home soil.
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She highlighted Sindhu's current form and Lakshya Sen's performances while expressing hope that the tournament would be conducted smoothly. Her comments came against the backdrop of complaints during the India Open earlier this year over pollution and hygiene, along with reports of pigeons and monkeys inside the venue.
Saina also wished India's Commonwealth Games contingent well ahead of the Glasgow Games, which begin on July 23. However, she expressed disappointment over badminton and other popular sports, including hockey and shooting, being excluded from the edition.
The former player, who won Commonwealth Games singles gold in 2010 and 2018, said she hoped Indian athletes would win as many gold medals as possible. Asked about taking up coaching, Saina said she was in no hurry to make a decision. She said coaching involved handling the pressure and development of several players, making it considerably more demanding than playing.
"Playing is easy. While playing, you are focusing on yourself. Coaching, you have to focus on so many other people," she said. Saina also ruled out a comeback, saying arthritis would make it difficult for her to return to competitive badminton.
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