JOIN USNew rule could have come at a better time, says Sindhu
The Premier Badminton League 3 has drawn focus on the hectic 2018 calendar and the Badminton World Federation's new service rule, set to be put on trial from the All England Championships.
Notwithstanding the anticipated turmoil, PV Sindhu, representing the Chennai Smashers in PBL, was at peace with herself. She has had a fantastic year and basked in its afterglow.
Sindhu was not oblivious to the enormity of the task in the coming year. It's just she found it futile to complain. Still, in a faint echo of dissent, the 22-year-old felt the new service rule could have been timed better. The rule, which has coped much criticism from the players, states,"The whole of the shuttle shall be below 1.15 metres from the surface of the court at the instant of being hit by the server's racket."
"It could have come at a better time. A different tournament instead of the All England Championships because it is a very prestigious tournament for everybody. So, maybe, they should have started it from the start of the year itself," Sindhu said on Tuesday.
"When it comes to the rule change, we need to learn it. There is no other way. It should not be much of a problem from my side."
The BWF's move to make it mandatory for the top 15 players to play in at least 12 tournaments from 2018, that also has the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games, has not gone down well with the players. Sindhu, however, said: "The calendar has already come out so we can't say we won't play. Of course, it's a very tough schedule with the World Championship, Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games. I am going to pick and choose tournaments and plan with the coach accordingly," she said.
Sindhu, who has had an eventful year of highs and heartbreaks, was happy the way the year panned out for her. "I was very upset after the World Championship final. It was so close. And then the same thing happened in Dubai as well. It felt bad, as I was reminded about that (Nozomi) Okuhara defeat. But it's all about coming back from such defeats. I have to take positives from these matches and look where else I can improve, that's how I can bounce back. Overall, it's been a very good year," she said.
"There's still a lot left for me to learn. The year has been up and down, with good wins and tough defeats. The next season, the focus will be to improve. It's just the start for me, there's a long way to go. Not just physically, I need to remain mentally fit. It's a process and I have to learn every day."
As PBL begins its Delhi leg from Wednesday, Smashers were keen to get their campaign back on track. They had lost the opening match to Awadhe Warriors, but the team felt it was important to win more points than ties in the format. "Overall it's a good team and we hope to bounce back," Sindhu said ahead of their contest against Mumbai Rockets. Mumbai had won their opening match against the Delhi Dashers.
"In PBL, each team is strong on paper and that's where the trump matches play a crucial role. And the format too – it's just 15 points, so anyone can win any match."