Olympics silver more satisfying than Worlds, says PV Sindhu

Have you got over the epic World Championships final against Nozomi Okuhara?

Yeah, I think it was anybody's game. It was a very good match. So, I felt a bit upset. It was a very long match.

How tiring was the battle for you?

It was mentally and physically tiring. At the end of the day, we both fought really hard because each point was important for both of us. Until the last point, we never thought it was over. After 20-all, it was just not my day. I was just unlucky.

How much do you believe in luck?

I do believe in luck, but not all the time. Somewhere, that little one per cent luck also matters. The second game was very important for me because I lost the first game. The second game went on equal terms. The 73-shot rally (that clinched Sindhu the second game 22-20) was very important because if I won it, I was in the match. If I lost the second game, I would have lost in straight games because she (Okuhara) was at an advantage.

In two major finals – 2016 Rio Olympics and 2017 World Championships – you went down in three games. Is there something more that needs to be done to get over the line in title clashes of these big events?

I don't feel there is anything in particular. It is just that day, whoever plays well and gives her best is the winner. This World Championships final, it was anybody's game. It was one of the longest matches. Both of us fought for the gold. At the end of the day, one has to win and the other has to lose. After 20-all (third game), we were not leaving thinking it's over. I don't regret (the loss) at all because it was a long match and also there were long rallies. Both of us were tired. It was not that I did not try and give my best. I also gave my best. But, it was not my day.

Do you think something more needs to be done on the mental aspect for you to cross the last hurdle?

Compared to Rio 2016 final, this was a much more improved performance. Before this, there were no long matches nor long rallies. Maybe there were some but not like the 73-shot rally. So, compared to earlier, I have improved a lot. Still, there is a lot more to improve also. Everyday, you keep on learning new strokes. Everyday is a new start.

You were part of only the second longest women's singles match – 1 hour and 50 minutes. What does it take to play such long matches?

It is just in you that if you think you can do it, then definitely you can. You have to believe in yourself. It is not just that 'OK, we are playing, so it is OK, fine'. It is you who is playing on the court, so you will know what it is. Everything matters, strategy and the like.

Was the Glasgow final the best match you have been part of?

It was definitely one of the best matches that I have been part of. There have been so many good matches that I have been part of. I can think of the Rio semifinals (vs Okuhara) and final (vs Carolina Marin). Every tournament is different, has different atmosphere. Rio Olympics was something that comes once in four years, it was a different atmosphere, a different feeling. In World Championships, you are playing in the final for the first time, that feeling was different. You cannot compare one with the other.

Which feels more satisfying: Rio silver or Worlds silver?

Definitely the Rio silver. This Worlds final, I could have won. It was just a matter of one point. In terms of satisfaction, Rio silver was tremendous.

What did you learn from both the big finals?

After Rio, my confidence level has been good. From Glasgow World Championships, what I have learnt is anything is possible, anything can happen from any moment.

How do you handle the pressure of expectations?

Expectations will always be there. Responsibilities will always be there. It is just that you have to play your game and give your best. After Rio, expectations have been high. Everybody expects me to win every match. But, you don't really have to take everything inside thinking, 'you have to play well, you have to play well'. It is just that you have to play your game and give your best.

How do you keep those expectations away and focus on your game?

I don't really think. Sometimes, it might go into your head, 'OK, I have to win'. It is just that before a match, you have to think that you are playing for yourself and winning for yourself.

Prakash Padukone called the Worlds final the best performance ever in Indian sports by a male or female. What do such compliments mean to you?

Definitely, it is a nice feeling because legends like him giving those kinds of statements give a further boost to my confidence and make me move further to greater heights.

Who has been your toughest opponent on the circuit?

There is none in particular. Everyone has a different strategy and different style of play. It is how one plays on the given day that matters. One day, you might play brilliantly, another day, you might not give your best.

How much does the shuttle speed matter and what adjustments do you have to take?

It doesn't really matter. You have to get used to everything. Sometimes, it also depends on the atmosphere. Sometimes, the crowd might be more, the air-condition might be more. It will be slow or fast. We need to get used to everything. There is nothing to complain but I think it is just that we have to manage how it is.

When we talk of women's badminton in India, it is Saina Nehwal and you. Do you think the gap between you both and the rest of the pack is too big? What needs to be done to bridge it?

I think, in the coming years, there will be some more on the women's circuit who will be doing well. It might take time. We have academies, they are pushing hard and working out things. Definitely, you will see more people.

What do you do to take your mind away from the sport? How do you switch off?

I spend time with family, go to movies between tournaments. During a tournament, as soon as a match is over, I just chill down for recovery and listen to music, not really think about a match for some time. For cricketers, their matches might not be daily. For us, we have a match every day. It is not like we switch off totally. We need to keep our eyes on recovery, rest, food and think about the next match. It is not like you can switch off for an entire day. After a match, after recovery, you switch off for some time, listening to music or something like that.

Any specific interest in music or movies?

Nothing in particular, I listen to all types of music.