Tokyo Olympics: Dane dusted as PV Sindhu revs it up

PV Sindhu knew of Mia Blichfeldt’s ability to snatch victory from losing positions. She had found out the hard way. But Sindhu was determined there wouldn’t be a second time.

So, the world No. 12 from Denmark did reel off four points in the first game of the pre-quarter final after Sindhu had opened a 13-7 lead but she wasn’t allowed to take control. At the Musashino Forest Sports Plaza, Sindhu won 21-15, 21-13 to set up a quarter-final with world No. 5 Akane Yamaguchi of Japan.

Blichfeldt, 23, had come back to beat Sindhu in a three-setter at the Thailand Open earlier this year. “I was almost at match point and leading but she came back and won the match!” Sindhu said on Thursday. That was Sindhu’s first international event after the shutdown in competitions in 2020 due to Covid-19.

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Sindhu had prevented an encore at the Swiss Open semi-final in March but only just. Blichfeldt had erased a five-point deficit at 12-17 before Sindhu scrapped to a 22-20, 21-10 win.

In Tokyo, Sindhu was in control from the start and seeing the game slip away, Blichfeldt went for broke. For a while it worked. A flurry of smashes, her court-craft nimble and confident, saw the Dane inch up to Sindhu.

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Only this time, Sindhu was ready. On Wednesday, after beating Hong Kong’s N Y Cheung in the last group match, Sindhu had spoken about the importance of controlling one’s thoughts when the opponent is on a roll. “You have to take your time, breathe, gather your thoughts and not rush,” she had said. One day later, she walked the talk.

The next couple of points were fought hard. Blichfeldt had made it 15-16 but a visibly pumped-up Sindhu managed to cut down her errors. She raced to take the next five points, setting up game point with a body smash before wrapping up the game following an error from Blichfledt.

“You do get tense when you lose points but my coach (Park Tae-sang) was telling me to focus on the next point,” said Sindhu.

“The first game was very important. Even though you are leading, she is not going to give up easily. I gave up a couple of points (in the first game) while I was rushing in my defence. Even though she was coming back here, I was not that nervous; I kept myself calm and focused.”

Every time Sindhu won a point, the screams and fist pumps former coach Pulella Gopichand had woven into her game before Rio 2016 – all in a bid to get the demure girl more aggressive on court – were on show.

Blichfeldt tried to revival in the second game but couldn’t. By now, Sindhu had shifted gears. Crosscourt drives, smashes, drops h- they were all being executed to perfection. Blichfeldt’s errors mounted, frustration showed on her face. The contest lasted 41 minutes.

Up next is Yamaguchi who beat Korean Gaeun Kim 21-17, 11-18. Sindhu knows it would be difficult but said it wouldn’t be easy for her opponent too. “It is very important for me to go back and recover well and come back stronger.”

Sindhu said she was feeling confident and has improved with every match. “In the first-round match there were not many rallies, then the next match there were some. You need to know what to play in which situation. Today I was able to,” she said.