Do you know what Sindhu was thinking while facing Okuhara in the final of Korea Open SS?

DJ69xRWUEAAbb3l
PV Sindhu and Nozomi Okuhara in the podium after the match. Image Source: twitter

 

Internet Desk: After her historic win in Korea Open Super Series against Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara, India’s star shuttler PV Sindhu said her loss against Okuhara in the final of World Championship was not on her mind when she was facing her today.

This Super Series was the third title of her career and second this year. In a hard fought match of three games 22-20 11-21 21-18 Sindhu bagged the title to make her nation proud. With this win Sindhu avenged her loss from Glasgow where she lost to Okuhara in a tough three-game battle.

“I had lost to her after being 19-17 in the World Championship but I didn’t keep that in my mind even though there were long rallies. I kept telling myself next point is important. I had to control the shuttle very much, so there was nothing in my mind,” Sindhu told reporters after being asked if the epic final was on her mind.

Talking about the final, Sindhu said: “I’m playing her again after playing in the World Championship and each point was very exhausting. In the first game, we were equal at 20-20 and I changed the course and won the game.

“In the second game all were going out, I couldn’t control the shuttle. It was a huge lead even if I would have tried so I lost easy.

“In the third game, each and every point was important, even though I was leading at 11 points she came back and after 11 points, every point were big rallies like the World Championship and nobody was leaving,” she added.

With Sindhu and Okuhara playing back-to-back finals, expectations are high that they might clash again at the Japan Super Series Premier next week.

Asked if she would play rather someone else in the finals, Sindhu said: “It is nothing like that, anybody is fine. It is the second time immediately after the World Championship that I am playing her in a final.

“Even earlier everybody used to say it would be Carolina Marin but now they are saying maybe it would be Okuhara again at Japan but I guess you have to play one or the other and you have to beat them to win,” she added.

Chief National coach Pullela Gopichand said Sindhu worked on her attacking game ahead of the Korea Open and playing well in the remaining super series events will be important before she could think of Dubai Super Series Final in December.

“We prepared a bit on the attacking side, not that we had a great amount of time but we tried to cover the mistakes that she committed at Glasgow in whatever time we had to prepare for Korea,” Gopichand said.

“I think there is Japan next week which is a Premier Super Series, there is Denmark, France, China and Hong Kong. It is important that we focus on one at a time before the year ender at Dubai final.”

Asked if World No. 1 is one of the main targets for Sindhu, Gopichand said: “At 22 she has a many years of badminton in her and if she can continue playing she will reach there someday.

“It is important she recovers well and plays the next tournament. I am not too worried about that, I guess we need to take it one by one,” he added.