Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu on Sunday said she is "definitely" going to play for the next couple of years even as the 2028 Los Angeles Games remains at the back of her mind.
Sindhu expressed relief after ending a long title drought with her triumph in the Syed Modi International badminton tournament here and hoped the result would mark the beginning of another successful phase in an illustrious career.
The 29-year-old former world champion, in the final stretch of her career, emphasized the need to stay injury-free.
"This (win) will definitely give me a lot of confidence. Being 29 is an advantage in many ways because I have a lot of experience. Being smart and experienced is key, and I'm definitely going to play for the next couple of years," Sindhu told reporters.
"My main goal is to stay injury-free, which is very, very important. Los Angeles (Olympics) is still too far away. I will definitely play, but the main thing is staying injury-free and enjoying the sport. If I stay fit, then why not?" Sindhu defeated China's world number 119 Wu Luo Yu 21-14, 21-16 in the final to lift the women's singles title for the third time in the tournament, having previously won in 2017 and 2022.
"I'm very happy that I'm finishing off with a win. Now it's time to just go back, relax, and start again from January. I hope this is a comeback, and I'm looking forward to many more victories," she told reporters.
"I'll be playing the upcoming tournaments in Malaysia, India, Indonesia, and Thailand. Obviously, we'll have to pick and choose tournaments because I'll have to be smart enough to decide what to play and what not. I need to be much smarter in terms of that." Sindhu's last title came at the Singapore Open in July 2022. The world number 18 also reached the Malaysia Masters Super 500 final earlier this year but faced a pre-quarterfinal exit at the Paris Olympics.
"Sometimes I was really close yet so far away. I had good matches in the past, but they didn't turn into wins. I came back, fought harder, and it was important for me to get this win. Yes, I am relieved. I mean, it's the end of the year, and finishing off with a win makes me really grateful," she said.
Lakshya Sen, a 2021 World Championships bronze medallist, demolished Singapore's Jia Heng Jason Teh 21-6, 21-7 in the men's singles final, displaying complete command over the match.
"I am really happy with the way I had prepared and how I played the match. I hope to do well in the tournaments next year. I have some time now till the new season, which will allow me to train and focus on the upcoming events," Lakshya said.
The women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand opened India's celebrations on the day, clinching their maiden Super 300 title with a commanding 21-18, 21-11 win over China's Bao Li Jing and Li Qian.
Gayatri, part of the Commonwealth Games bronze medal-winning duo, said the victory is a confidence booster ahead of the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals in China, where they are the sole Indian representatives.
"We really wanted to win, we were aggressive and kept moving well. There was a strategy, and we implemented it well today. We plan to go with the flow and see what the future holds. We don't want to make too many plans," Gayatri said.
"This is our first gold, and it's a great boost for both of us. It has given us a lot of confidence, and we are looking forward to the World Tour Finals now." Treesa and Gayatri became the first Indian women's doubles team to win the Syed Modi International title. The duo, runners-up in 2022, went one step further this year with a solid performance.
"The first game was close, but we listened to our coaches, corrected ourselves, and executed the plans. At this level, there is always pressure, and we managed it well," Treesa said.
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