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India's two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu began her Paris Olympics 2024 campaign with a comfortable 21-9 21-6 victory over Maldives' Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq on July 28. Sindhu took one step towards the Round of 16.
10th seeded Sindhu in her first Group M match was not troubled by 111th-ranked Fathimath. The 29-year-old won the match in just under half an hour.
Sindhu did not give her opponent much time to settle and in no time gained seven point advantage. She took just 13 minutes to win the first game. The story was not different in the second game. While Fathimath made Sindhu make a few errors at the start, it was smooth sailing for the experienced campaigner from thereon. She made short work of Fathimath and won the second game with even bigger margin.
Sindhu's next opponent
The 29-year-old will face 75th-ranked Kristin Kuuba in her second group match on July 31. A win will in the second match will ensure she faces China's He Bing Jiao in the knockout stages.
Sindhu did not consider it a practice match
The shuttler was content with her performance in the first game of the tournament. However, she said that she does not want to take anyone lightly.
"No, I think I was confident and I played with her before as well. So I know how she plays. And I was very confident, so I think it was like a practice match, I would say. But I think from the beginning itself, I didn't want to take it easy. So yeah, I mean, I took the lead and then, you know, I just wanted to get used to the court for some time. And then I gave a few points away and, yeah, there were some rallies, but I think it was a comfortable win for me," Sindhu told the broadcast in her court-side interview.
Sindhu has struggled with injuries of late and said that it is not easy to make a comeback.
"I think both ways (mentally and physically making comeback) it is pretty hard. It's not easy. It is very important for me to stay positive. And, you know, I think, physically also I had to prepare myself because, you know, I was also injured in the starting of the year. And then I slowly started off in February. But I think overall when injuries do happen, you know, mentally you at times don't feel really right. You don't know what's happening. But I think my support staff people around me kept me, kept me going, supported me and kept me motivated. And I think, of course, thankful to Prakash (Padukone) and and also my whole support staff. They've been very, very helpful. And obviously my parents as well, because they have been throughout," she concluded.
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