Enduring a difficult patch since claiming the world championship gold, ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu would be eager to turn her fortunes around when she starts her title struggle at the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals on Wednesday.
Sindhu enlisted her career’s greatest triumph at the World Championship in Basel, Switzerland in August, however from that the Indian has looked awfully out of form. The Olympic silver medallist, who had arrived at the finals of Indonesia Open Super 750 tournament in July, made two 1st round ways out at Fuzhou China Open and Korea Open and went down in the second round in 3 events – China Open Super 1000, Denmark Open Super 750 and Hong Kong Open Super 500.
Her only quarterfinal finish was at the USD 750,000 French Open. Only the top 8 on the BWF Race to Guangzhou Rankings qualifies for the World Tour Finals and PV Sindhu finished the year at the fifteenth spot yet at the same time made it to the women’s singles field by virtue of being the world champion.
Despite the recent dip in form, everyone’s eyes will be on Sindhu as she has the reputation of producing her best in major events. The Indian had taken a break after the Hong Kong Open to be in the best shape for the World Finals, where she has twice reached the summit conflict in 2017 and 2018.
This time, PV Sindhu has been placed in Group A alongside Chen Yu Fei and He Bing Jiao from China and Japanese Yamaguchi, while Group B comprises of the rest 4 shuttlers – Thai couple of Ratchanok, Taiwanese and Busanan Ongbamrungphan and Japanese Okuhara.
PV Sindhu will open her campaign against Akane Yamaguchi, who has asserted 2 titles before a hip problem saw her make 4 straight 1st round ways out. In any case, the Japan’s player showed signs of regaining her form with semi-final ends at Korea Masters, French Open and Hong Kong Open.
The World No.6 Indian has a solid 10-6 no holds barred record against Yamaguchi yet she lost to the Japanese in the last two gatherings.
Against Chinese as well, PV appreciates a 6-3 record however the Chen Yu Fei has been in rampaging form this season, having won every one of the 6 of her finals, including the All England Championships.
