India's pride

PV Sindhu One match, semifinal against Japan's Nozomi Okuhara, in 2016 Rio Olympic Games, saw PV Sindhu, tall, balanced, calculative and graceful, rise from an ordinary international player to a status of an Olympian badminton super star. A queen in court coverage, brilliant in executing strokes from baseline to adroit net- play and pugnacious in lobvolley syndrome, she lifted her game to several notches to beat Nozomi, Japan's pride and joy. From 3-all to 10-all, she reeled off 11 points to get into the final. She played the game of her life. Holding that it was her best ever victory in mammoth canvas , she said: "I have learnt to play with mind, which is the key ingredient in Olympic Games".
Out of shadows of Saina Nehwal, Sindhu was all confidence in the final. For a while, she was a match to champion Carolina Marin in the high volatile match. There were moments when she raised visions and optimism of bringing about another coup. But this did not happen as Carolina was far more experienced exponent than Indian rising star. But this win and loss have provided refreshing self-belief to her, and since Rio Games, it has run like a golden thread through her badminton career.
On the road to success and prosperity, Sindhu shocked her senior exponent, Saina, in the quarter-final of the Yonex Sunrise Indian Open Super series at Sri Fort complex. Here spectators were fair to all. including Carolina. But the situation changed in the Sindhu-Carolina final. All Spectators were solidly supportive of the Indian star.
Came the designated and much sought after final between Indian queen, Sindhu, and Rio Olympic champion Caronila. It was a final of final. Often, rallies were protracted. When Indian won a point or a series of points, the spectators brought the roof down. This was one of the important factors for Sindhu raising her game to unprecedented height. The 47-minute encounter was highly absorbing and Carolina lost it in eight games at 19-21 and 21- 16. There were touching moments when Sindhu applauded in Carolina scoring points after making a 'kill' of forehead smash from baseline.
Great friends after the Rio Games, they walked hand-in-hand as if both were champions. It was a great day for Indian badminton. Sindhu and Saina must bear in mind that the shuttle game is tougher than many other disciplines. The star of 'bird' game seldom go beyond 30-32. They should be selective in choosing their international competitions.

A sad end

Leander Pae's The glass once broken cannot be made new, no matter meticulously mended. The writing was on all over the country that Leander Pae's days were numbered. He should have walked out of the Davis Cup tie at Bangalore before being sidelined by his friend-turned-foe, Mahesh Bhupathi. It was the sad end of India's undisputed king of tennis for more than 25 years.
Leander's jouney to Davis Cup was historic. It was generally brilliant, occasionally filled with quota of ups and downs and intercepted with controversies and more controversies. He should now sit down and write his autobiography. If he cannot, he should engage Subroto Circar of Kalkata to do the needful.

K.R.Wadhwaney