PV Sindhu's road to the final at Tokyo Olympics explained

PV Sindhu has a tough path ahead of her, if she is to claim a gold medal at Tokyo Olympics

Update: 2021-07-28 13:39 GMT

PV Sindhu in action at Tokyo Olympics (Source: Getty Images)

PV Sindhu shoulders billions of hopes, as she remains one of India's brightest prospects for a medal at Tokyo Olympics in badminton. The 26-year-old has been one of the most consistent performers on the BWF Tour, winning five world championship medals in the past decade.

She returned home with a medal from Rio Olympics, as she claimed the silver medal, after putting up a brave fight against Carolina Marin of Spain.

PV Sindhu, seeded sixth at Tokyo Olympics sailed through the group stages, and has booked a place in the last 16. The Indian shuttler defeated Cheung Ngan Yi and Israel's Ksenia Polikarpova in her group stage games, without hardly breaking a sweat.


However, it is the elimination rounds which will be a real test of her character, and she faces some of the world's best in her upcoming battles in Tokyo.

PV Sindhu faces a stern test at Tokyo Olympics

PV Sindhu at Tokyo Olympics (Source: Getty Images)

P.V. Sindhu's road to a gold medal at Tokyo Olympics will not be an easy road by any means, as she will have to battle against some of the best in her upcoming rounds. In this article, we will have a look at P.V. Sindhu's road to the finals:

[7] PV Sindhu vs [12] Mia Blichfeldt  [Round of 16 - Knockout]

PV Sindhu faces the Dane, Mia Blichfeldt in the round of 16 clash at Tokyo Olympics. This will be the Indian's first real test in Tokyo, as the draw gets tougher and tougher.

Sindhu will be wary of the threat posed by the Dane, given the fact that she defeated the Indian earlier this year. However, it will the Rio Olympics silver medalist that will be the favorite to claim the victory in the last 16 encounter, given that she enjoys a 4-1 head to head record over her rival.

[7] PV Sindhu vs [5] Akane Yamaguchi [Quarter Final - Knockout]

Akane Yamaguchi, world number five is likely to be P.V. Sindhu's quarterfinal opponent, if she passes the Round of 16 test. Yamaguchi claimed a bronze medal at 2018 World Championships, and is quite a gritty opponent to come up against.

She also won the Asian Championships gold medal in 2019. However, on paper, P.V. Sindhu still remains the favorite to claim the victory against the Japanese, given the fact that she leads the head to head encounter by a score-line of 11-7.

[7] PV Sindhu vs [1] Tai Tzu-ying [Semi Final - Knockout]

Probably, the biggest challenge of PV Sindhu's road to the finals comes in the penultimate round, against the world number one, Tai Tzu-ying. The Chinese Taipei athlete bagged the gold medal at Asian Games, after defeating PV Sindhu in the finals.

The duo have clashed against each other on 18 occasions in the past, with the world number one getting the better of the Indian on 13 occasions. However, Tai Tzu-ying is yet to win an Olympic medal, as she was denied the opportunity of doing so in Rio, by PV Sindhu.

[7] PV Sindhu vs [2] Chen Yufei  [Final - Gold Medal match]

PV Sindhu's potential opponent in the finals is the Chinese shuttler and second seed, Chen Yufei. Chen Yufei is a two-time World Championship bronze-medalist, and is making her debut at Olympic Games. PV Sindhu has a superior head to head record over the Chinese, having defeated her on six occasions out of their 10 meetings so far.

If Sindhu manages to reach the finals, it will be the Indian who will have the edge, given her ability to deal with pressure situations. Sindhu has been on the losing side in the finals on several occasions, and her experience will help India achieve a historic landmark in Badminton.


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