P V Sindhu, Carolina Marin and Saina Nehwal got together at the TOI office in Hyderabad and spoke at length about a variety of subjects. The World No. 3, 6 and 9, respectively, found common ground on the 21-point rule, and poor scheduling of tournaments by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The latter is taking a toll on their bodies, was the collective refrain. The trio–here on a Premier Badminton League (PBL) assignment–was also all praise for the league. Excerpts:
Three times world champion, Olympic champion. How do you motivate yourself to keep going after having achieved so much ever since you turned pro in 2005?
MARIN: I just want to keep improving my game. Now it’s becoming very tough as we have to play so many tournaments and also take care of my injuries. But my next goal is to win the All England in March and then the World Championships. Yes, it is difficult to motivate myself after winning so many major titles. But I just want to keep improving my game — my mental game, my physical aspect — and be ready for the next tournament.
You have this remarkable tendency to raise your game in the final. Is it a deliberate strategy or is it merely rising to the occasion? What do you do differently to achieve that?
I give 100% in the final. My preparation for big tournaments is to the best of my ability because that’s my main goal for my team and for myself. We just try to give our best to win big titles.
Which title do you cherish the most?
Every title is different. When I won the first World Championship, it was unbelievable for me, because I was really tired when I reached the final. I didn’t expect to win that game. But of them all, the Olympic Games title is very special.
Having played PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal, who is the hardest nut to crack?
Both are tough competitors. Both have different styles and I need to have a different strategy for them. I cannot choose one of them because both are very good.
Do you think Saina and Sindhu have achieved their potential?
I am very sure they can go for more. Sindhu is younger than Saina but I think both of them can improve a lot.
There’s a Sindhu after Saina in India, but there’s no one yet after Marin in Spain despite your achievements…
You cannot compare badminton with football. Of course, badminton is getting more popular. Children and many parents are turning up for this game. It’s good that Spanish broadcasters are telecasting my games. Now there are so many young players like me. Some are doing good. But let’s see what happens in future. They know their way because they can look at me in practice. But they have to work hard to achieve these titles.
The Japanese players are doing well in all categories. Your take on that and do you think there is a paradigm shift from China to Japan?
Every country will do something different to be on the top. Japan are doing really good. Even Okuhara and Yamaguchi are improving a lot. We cannot compare countries, but the coaches are doing their best for their players.
How do you think PBL-like tournaments help players like you and badminton?
Tourneys like PBL help the players a lot. PBL is the best league in the world now. We have several best players in the world playing here. Everyone likes to play here, we can improve our game and we can play as a team.
You have been with Hyderabad Hunters last and in Hyderabad for quite some time. What all do you like about this city?
I like the crowd, the Hunters army. They are fantastic. When I played here they were amazing.
‘I always look to come back stronger’
You’ve salvaged the year by winning the BWF World Finals title. Were you tense before the final given the way the five previous finals — including the Commonwealth Games — panned out in the year?
SINDHU: This year I have played four finals and lost. But I won the Tour Final. I am very happy about it and that it came at the year-end made it more special. This also gives me a lot of confidence for the year ahead.
Are you taking any help from a psychologist on how to deal with tough situations, especially crucial junctures of a match. If not, how do you hold your nerve?
There’s nothing of that sort or I’d say there’s nothing going wrong in the final. You win some and lose some. I’d rather look at it this way: that I am very happy to come to the final and win silver than to see it as losing in the final. There’s no mindset or mind games going on when I come to the final and lose.
What do you think went wrong in those finals? If you were to play them again, would you play them differently? Is luck a factor?
Luck sometimes, yeah. But I can’t depend on it all the time. Usually after matches I go back, rectify my mistakes and come back stronger. Definitely, there will be some mistakes. So it’s good to go back and discuss with your coach and not repeat those mistakes again.
How does it feel now that the final jinx is over?
Yes, finally. Nobody will now be able to ask me: silver again?
Did it upset you, people constantly questioning your ability to overcome the final frontier? Or add to the pressure on you to deliver?
I never felt bad. It’s a thin line. You win some and lose some. It’s all part of the game. You have to take it in a very positive way.
You chose to train separately at a different academy. Is it helping you or do you miss good sparring partners as most of the top Indian shuttlers are at the other venue?
It (the move) has been helping me because we have some Indonesian coaches. Gopi sir is always there. Sometimes other players come where I train and I play with them. It’s helping me.
Your most memorable win and the most painful loss in your career so far?
Every tournament I won is very memorable. You can’t compare one tournament with another. I would say Olympics is one of the great moments even though I lost in the final. Getting a silver is definitely a very proud moment for me. I think apart from that I have played a lot of finals and lost them. If I have to pick one, I would say the World Championships last year where I played (Nozomi) Okuhara and lost 22-20 after a very long match. I felt very bad. It could’ve been anybody’s game. Luck didn’t favour me then.
Do you see any youngster in your academy ready for the big stage?
There are a lot of youngsters. Gopi sir’s daughter (Gayatri) is doing well. It will take time for them to reach this level.
All England Championships is the next big tournament for you. Last year you reached the semifinal, do you reckon this could be your year?
There’s some time before All England. There’s the Malaysian and other tournaments. Every tournament is important.
‘When I get injured, I tend to get a little lazy’
It’s a huge decision for every sportsperson and you took the plunge this year. How different is life after marriage?
SAINA: Two days after marriage, we started travelling and preparing for PBL in Mumbai. The only change is I’m strict with my diet and with the way I approach the injury (shin) that I have… He (Kashyap) is continuously telling me how to handle the situation so that I can be back on court sooner and start playing at the level I have to. When I get injured, I tend to get a little lazy. So that’s what we’ve been doing since marriage. Injury happens when you try to push your body beyond limits. I had to continue till Syed Modi. Otherwise, things are the same since we know each other for a long time.
What would be your pick if asked to choose between badminton and Kashyap?
I like winning more. I like badminton, I like Kashyap, too, but more than that I like winning. That’s why I have Kashyap. So now I have everything.
Compared to other sport, badminton has more couples playing the game. Any specific reason?
That’s because they are together most of the time. It’s not easy to play and party and go to different fields to find a boy or girl who is easy to communicate or easy to be with. Sportspersons are difficult to understand. That’s the fact. People may laugh, but we have different emotions which only sportspersons can understand. Besides, we tour a lot together and probably that’s how it happens.
How is PBL helping badminton and players like you?
It’s one of the biggest leagues in the world. There is no such league at this level. There is one league in China but that is only for the Chinese players. Full credit to PBL because it is not easy to call top players and handle their practice timings so well. PBL is a success and now more players want to come. The competition is of international standards. Juniors will learn a lot. I can see a lot of Indian girls liking badminton now.
After three years with Awadhe Warriors, you’ve moved to North Eastern Warriors for the fourth edition of PBL...
We won the matches we expected to win. At the moment I feel everyone is prepared and working well.
You’ve played some tough opponents and were the first to overcome the Chinese barrier. But who’s the toughest you’ve faced?
It has to be Tai Tzu Ying. She’s given me a tough time. Then we have Carolina (Marin), who is a major threat to most players. These two have been really fantastic. Their journey has been good for the last two, three years. They a re tough to crack, but I have to work hard.
Is it safe to assume that Chinese dominance is a thing of the past?
We can’t say that. The Chinese were champions for many years. Maybe in the last two years they have not done well but now I feel they are back. Now there is a new crop of players doing well. They know how to produce champions.
What are your next targets?
To stay injury-free. The way I’ve been playing in the last three-four months, I can see improvement. In the Denmark Open, I reached the final. I want to stay injury-free and improve.
You once said you’re not cut out for coaching. Any rethink on that front?
It’s not that I don’t like coaching. It’s not easy. I would help in any way possible.
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