OI EXCLUSIVE: PV Sindhu's Father PV Ramana Expresses Confidence, Says Badminton Star Will Play Olympic Finals

Two-time Olympic medallist and former World Champion, PV Sindhu outclassed Estonia's Kristin Kuuba in her second group stage match of the Paris Olympics 2024. The road to Paris hasn't been an easy one for Sindhu.

In an exclusive conversation with OneIndia, Sindhu's father and Arjuna Awardee PV Ramana addressed the same. He said,' It is very difficult for a sportsperson to get back into rhythm and play at the same level post serious injuries. Specially in a sport as fast-paced as Badminton.

After recovering from an ankle stress fracture post-Commonwealth Games 2022, Sindhu tore her MCL on the 27th of October, 2023. I still remember the date, was watching the match. Having said that, all her hard work, family's support, and the prayers of an entire nation ensured that she got back into form. It was only in February 2024 that Sindhu got back to full-fledged training and her schedule was meticulously planned by Prakash Padukone, SAI, and all other stakeholders to ensure that her body is preserved for the Olympics'

Speaking of her chances of playing the final this time around, Ramana said,' There are a lot of good players. It is a tough draw but we are confident of Sindhu making it to the final once again. Having said that, it is very important to keep in mind that in a sport like badminton and at an event like the Olympics, it is the performance on that particular day that matters.'.

Badminton great and veteran Prakash Padukone volunteered to train Sindhu in the build-up to the Olympics. Ramana expressed his gratitude and went on to give us an insight into the amount of time and effort put in by the former All England Champion, ' Prakash sir called Sindhu and volunteered to train her with the sole intention of winning the country another medal. Sindhu took it to heart too and dedicated herself to the process. The last leg of Sindhu's training was carried out in Germany. Prakash sir reached Germany on the 4th of July and stayed until the 22nd. A person of that stature dedicating as much time and effort, sitting through Sindhu's practice sessions at Bengaluru means a lot to us and we are extremely thankful.

Sport is as much mental as it is physical, when asked about the mental state of Sindhu going into the games, Ramana said,' People are all praises when you are winning as a sportsperson but the same people will speak about the athlete being out of form, getting old when he/she loses. This definitely impacted Sindhu slightly but she is mentally very strong and is fully prepared to take the challenge head on. She need not prove anything to anyone anymore, she has consistently performed for the country and we told her the same. We believe that she has it in her to pull through and make the nation proud once again'.