PV Sindhu shone on the opening day of the BWF World Championships at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi on Monday (August 17). The two-time Olympic medalist made quick work of Ireland’s Sophia Noble and defeated her 21-7, 21-11 in just 29 minutes. She will face Wen Yu Zhang in the round of 32 match on Tuesday (August 18). Sindhu, a seasoned shuttler, admitted to having butterflies in her first World Championships match in home conditions. She won her previous World Championships in 2019.
“The conditions are pretty good. What I feel, I mean, irrespective of what about the, however the match was, it was easy or, you know, easy scoring, easy scores. But I think it was important to go out there and see the court conditions and know how the shuttle is. And I really, um, I mean, they’re really good, very, I really liked it. So, yeah, that’s one thing,” Sindhu said.
“I think, yeah. I mean, actually, when I was entering the court, I did have (butterflies), yeah, because, I mean, the, the atmosphere is completely different, you know, when you play on your home ground, so, yeah,” she added.
Sindhu further revealed that she was excited to get onto the court in front of the home crowd. “I think it was, I was very excited to get onto the court. I think that was the first thing that would come into my mind, and that came into my mind, in fact, when I was getting onto the court because you’re playing in your home ground and, you know, the crowd is waiting for you to come into the court and the cheering. So, I think it, it really gives you that kind of goosebumps when you get onto the court that, you know, there are people with us, with me, to support me and, you know, to keep me going,” she said.
Sindhu also acknowledged the pressure that comes along with the expectations and said that it would be a privilege for her to win here.
“I mean, there are expectations, and, uh, I would not deny that. There is a pressure as well, I won’t deny that as well. But I think pressure is everywhere, it’s not just that I’m playing here and, you know, that is more pressure, no. I think pressure is everywhere,” she said.
“In different countries we play with different athletes, the pressure is always there. But I think here it’s definitely a privilege, and, uh, people talking about getting another medal or, you know, how do, how do I think that, you know, if I get another medal, I think that itself is a privilege for me that, you know, what, okay, you know, she’s still chasing her dreams to, to, you know, uh, progress and get that other medal. So, that is definitely a, a privilege for me.”
All Indian shuttlers win
Not just Sindhu, all five Indian shuttlers who were in action won their respective matches. Ayush Shetty stunned world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi while the team of Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun defeated Scott Guildea and Paul Reynolds. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand Pullela defeated Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez 21-9, 21-13. The team of Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi defeated Nikol Carulla and Carmen Maria Jimenez 22-20, 21-14.