PV Sindhu‘s return to form has been accompanied by a more measured approach to competition. Following a demanding stretch on the international circuit, she chose to skip the Korea Open and other tournaments to focus on recovery and prepare for the challenges ahead.
The decision reflects her understanding that sustaining a long career requires more than simply competing in every available tournament. She acknowledged that her body needs time to recover and that every appearance must be approached with the right physical and mental preparation. “It’s not that you’re 20 anymore and you can’t keep playing tournaments back to back. You also need to make sure whatever tournaments you play, you need to give your 100%. To give that 100%, you have to make sure you are physically and mentally at your best,” Sindhu said.
She added that recognising when to step back is equally important. “If it’s 100% or if it’s, let’s say, 50%, you make sure you step back, you recover, you again come back stronger, you bounce back stronger, and accordingly work on your mistakes and you work on your game.” The Indian shuttler credited her support team for helping her assess her condition and make adjustments to her training schedule.
“Every single day we do that, we analyse it accordingly and make sure we are doing 100%. If we are not 100%, at times, you make sure you change the schedule or accordingly work how my body conditions are,” she said. Despite her recent success, Sindhu remains focused on improving her game. She believes that her current performances are a foundation for further progress rather than the culmination of her comeback.
“I would say there is a lot more room for improvement, and I am getting there,” she said. The Indian shuttler’s confidence is rooted in her experience of competing against some of the greatest players in badminton. Having faced former world champions Tai Tzu-ying and Carolina Marin earlier in her career, she has witnessed the evolution of the sport and the emergence of a new generation led by An Se-young. Sindhu believes the modern game demands greater patience, adaptability and consistency, with longer rallies and the need to minimise unforced errors becoming increasingly important.
When asked whether she could return to the level of dominance she displayed in 2016, 2018 and 2019, Sindhu responded with conviction. “Yeah, absolutely. Why not? If you take care of your body, definitely yes. The answer is yes, definitely yes,” she said. “There have been a lot of athletes who were at their top, so why not get back there at the top again? And I am getting there, and I am there. I’m saying this because I know that I can still do it.” Her remarks reflect the confidence of a player who has already achieved Olympic and world championship success but remains motivated by the prospect of further victories.
PV Sindhu’s return to the world top six and her HYLO Open triumph demonstrate that her competitive ambitions remain firmly intact. At this stage of her career, the challenge is no longer simply about proving that she can win titles. It is about maintaining the physical condition and consistency required to compete against younger opponents across an increasingly demanding international calendar. Her willingness to prioritise recovery, adjust her schedule and continue refining her game suggests a more sustainable approach to elite badminton.
With the BWF World Tour Finals approaching, Sindhu has an opportunity to build on her recent momentum and measure her progress against the world’s leading players. For Indian badminton, her renewed confidence is an encouraging sign. For Sindhu herself, the message is clear: her comeback is still underway, and she believes her best performances are yet to come.
