KUALA LUMPUR – “You are only as good as your last run.”
That was the mantra used by team captain P.V. Sindhu in leading her team to victory in the Badminton Asian Team Championships (BATC) after defeating Thailand 3-2 at the Setia City Convention Centre on Sunday.
Under Sindhu’s leadership and with seasoned players like Ashwini Ponnappa in the women’s team, India, with an average age of 22.6-years-old, claimed their first title since the tournament’s inception in 2016.
Considered one of her nation’s most successful athletes, Sindhu boasts two Olympic medals (silver at Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020), two Commonwealth Games gold medals (Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022), and a World Championship title (Basel 2019).
The 28-year-old was the first to step onto the court and got India off to a flying start by defeating Thailand’s Supanida Katethong 21-12, 21-12.
Speaking to Scoop, Sindhu said she emphasised the importance of humility to her teammates and remaining grounded amid the intensity of the BATC tournament, reminding them that success should never inflate their ego.
She also expressed the significance of maintaining good discipline and unwavering commitment to national pride.
She credited these values as pivotal factors contributing to India’s remarkable triumph in the biennial tournament.
“As team captain, I always remind them, especially the young girls, not to let their success cloud their judgment because you are only as good as your last run.
“I encourage them to stay humble, consistently prove themselves on the court, maintain a high level of discipline, and never solely focus on themselves. I also stress the importance of representing our country with pride because every victory brings glory to our nation.
“This mindset, in my opinion, is the key to success as a team. With our victory at the BATC, we have demonstrated that India are a force to be reckoned with, characterised by our fighting spirit and dominant performance.
“Just as I led the team to win the BATC, I aspire to guide my country to victory in the Uber Cup,” said Sindhu when met after the prize-giving ceremony at the Setia City Convention Centre on Sunday.
India secured their berth in the coming Uber Cup finals in China, scheduled from April 28 to May 5, by securing a spot among the top four teams in the BATC.
The closest they ever got to clinching a title was in 1957 when they won bronze. Subsequently, they won further bronzes in 2014 and 2016.
Meanwhile, Sindhu expressed her delight at recovering from injury and leading her team to victory in the BATC.
She now aims to focus on coming tournaments and prepare herself to clinch the elusive Olympic gold medal for her country.
Ranked 11th in the world, Sindhu had been sidelined since October last year after sustaining a knee injury during the French Open.
“I am immensely proud of my team’s achievement. Leading the team to secure gold in this tournament (BATC) after my injury recovery holds special significance for me.
“I’m really happy to witness our girls giving their 200% even before stepping into the court. On a personal note, I have several European circuit events coming up, and I want to focus on that first.
“My ultimate target for this year is to win the gold in the Olympics for my country,” Sindhu added.
Sindhu has her entry confirmed in this year’s French Open, which is scheduled to take place from March 5-10. – February 20, 2024