KUALA LUMPUR: As her powers began to decline, 2019 world champion P. V. Sindhu has started reinventing herself in a bid to become a force again on the World Tour.
Rather than allowing age to diminish her, the 31-year-old Indian shuttler turned to former Indonesian singles coach Irwansyah in January, and later South African conditioning expert Wayne Lombard to revive her career.
According to Indian media, data-driven tracking methods, specific nutritional plans and optimising sleep cycles have helped world No. 8 Sindhu become physically sharper and injury-free.
This has led to the Bengaluru-based Sindhu ending her two-year title drought by winning the Japan Open in July.
She also took South Korean world No. 1 An Se Young to three games before finishing runner-up at the French Open two weeks ago.
“There’s a part of me that’s just really happy to feel all those long days, difficult losses and endless hours of work finally beginning to mean something. I’ve missed this feeling more than I can explain,” Sindhu wrote on her Instagram after losing to Se Young.
A week later, Sindhu secured her second title of the year by defeating Denmark’s world No. 25 Line Kjaersfeldt 21-12, 21-14 at the Hylo Open in Saarbrucken, Germany, on Sunday.
She did not drop a game throughout the Super 500 event.
“This gives me a lot of confidence. I’m happy that things are going according to plan, and I’m grateful to my whole team,” added Sindhu after her success in Germany.
“There are days when you’re absolutely low, but the team is there to pump you up. It’s been an amazing week.”
Sindhu has now transformed from a big-hitting baseliner into a shuttler who thinks on her feet, thanks to the tactical refinement provided by Irwansyah, who was instrumental in turning Indonesians Jonatan Christie and Anthony Ginting into world-class players.
A physiotherapist (Shreyasi Sanjay) and a nutritionist (Nicole Kedia) are also said to be part of of the team to help the former Olympic silver medallist continue her hunt for glory.