Indian badminton star PV Sindhu, following her recent struggles after the Paris 2024 Olympics, is making a fresh start with a new coach as she sets her sights on the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.
After taking a brief break to regain her motivation, Sindhu is now gearing up for the European badminton season under the guidance of former shuttler Anup Sridhar, a coach with strong ties to fellow Indian player Lakshya Sen.
Despite having won numerous accolades, including silver and bronze at the Asian Games, Sindhu remains driven to chase the elusive gold. Her father, PV Ramana, shared that while Sindhu has nothing left to prove, her hunger for success remains undiminished. "Sindhu feels she still has it in her to aim for the Asian Games," Ramana told The Indian Express.
Anup Sridhar, who coached Lakshya Sen until January 2024, will now take the reins from Sindhu’s previous coach, Indonesia's Agus Dwi Santoso, whose contract ended post-Olympics.
Ramana mentioned they are exploring the possibility of long-term partnerships and are considering multiple coaching options. Sridhar will begin working with Sindhu during the upcoming Arctic Open in Finland, followed by the Denmark Open.
Additionally, Ramana disclosed that they had also considered former coach Park Tae-Sung, with whom Sindhu achieved significant success, including two Commonwealth Games golds and a bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. However, the decision to part ways with Park was amicable, as both Sindhu and her father felt the collaboration wasn’t yielding the desired results.
Sindhu is set to resume training in Hyderabad with Sridhar as she prepares for her European comeback, with the ultimate goal of shining at the 2026 Asian Games.