NEW DELHI: There is no surprise as to where India’s No. 2 women’s singles player P.V. Sindhu got her height – she stands at a lanky 1.80m (5’11”) – from. But what is surprising is that her parents P.V. Ramana and mother Vijaya are both India’s national volleyball players!
Her father is an Asian Games bronze medal winner and it’s her parents’ unselfish support that has seen Sindhu reach where she is today.
Sindhu, who will only be 19 in July, could very well be the next big thing for Indian women’s badminton after Saina Nehwal if her bronze medal feat at the World Championships in Guangzhou last year is any indication.
In Guangzhou, she notched up two unexpected victories over Chinese players – defending champion Wang Yihan and reigning Asian Games gold medallist Wang Shixian – before losing to eventual winner Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand in the semi-finals.
She is only the second Indian singles player to win a medal at the world meet. Prakash Padukone also won a bronze at the 1983 edition in Copenhagen.
Sindhu said she took a liking for badminton when she accompanied her father to the volleyball court in Hyderabad.
“I remember I was eight at that time and I was more fascinated by what was happening on the badminton courts next door. I started playing occasionally and I won sometimes. But it was when Pullela Gopichand won the All-England title in 2001 that I got really excited about badminton.
“He is also from Hyderabad and I wanted to train under him personally.
“I was 10 when Gopichand agreed to give me personal training sessions. I was so happy then,” recalled the lanky lass.
But that came at a price.
Sindhu had to wake up at 3 every morning to travel from her home to Gopichand’s badminton academy in the Gachibowli area, also in Hyderabad, for a solo two-hour session.
“I had to come early at 4.30am as it was Saina’s turn to play two hours later. She was already a world-class player then and the more ‘comfortable’ slot was reserved for her,” said Sindhu, who thanked her parents for their support.
“My father used to travel more than 50km daily to take me to Gopichand’s academy before I eventually shifted to a hostel. My parents eventually moved closer to me.”
Sindhu has clearly capitalised on her height to climb up the world badminton rankings.
Her long reach and lunges were evident as she played second singles in India’s Uber Cup campaign so far.
She is happy not to have dropped any game in all three of India’s group ties – against Canada, Hong Kong and Thailand – to help India reach the quarter-finals.
Sindhu, who swims and practises yoga in her spare time, hopes the world meet bronze medal is just the first of more good things to come.
“I want to do well at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games (in July) and the World Championships (in Copenhagen in August) again,” said world No. 11 Sindhu.
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