PV Sindhu gears up to return in January 2021 with 3 events in Thailand

Indian badminton star PV Sindhu is set to return to the court in January 2021 with three events scheduled to be held in Thailand. Sindhu, the 2019 World Champion and 2016 Olympic silver medalist, participated in her last competitive match at 2020 All England Open in March but has since been restricted from playing due to COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Sindhu is set to return to the badminton court and will participate in three tournaments in Thailand next month. The Yonex Thailand Open from January 12-17 will be Sindhu’s first tournament followed by the Toyota Thailand Open from January 19-24. She will wrap up the month with the World Tour Finals in Bangkok, subject to qualification, from January 27-31.

The Indian government has given a green signal to her request to have her physio and fitness trainer to accompany her in the three tournaments. 

The services of her physio and trainer for these three tournaments has been sanctioned at an approximate cost of Rs. 8.25 lakhs, TOPS said in a statement.

Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) is a marquee program of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in a bid to provide assistance to India’s elite athletes.

Sindhu has already sealed qualification for the Tokyo Olympics, which will go ahead at a rescheduled date in the summer of 2021. In October, Sindhu flew to London to work on nutrition and body analysis and is sweating hard to be at her optimum best when the Tokyo Olympics start.

"It (world champion tag) is an added advantage as well. But I have to make sure... the responsibilities are going to be a lot. Compared to 2016, it's going to be very different, people's expectations are a lot more. I understand that. I go with a mindset that I have to give my best and give my 100 percent. That's how I am going to approach it. I am confident that I will do well," PV Sindhu had told India Today last month.