New Delhi hosts BWF World Championships with improved venue conditions
The BWF World Championships are set to commence on Monday in New Delhi, with the Chinese badminton contingent expressing satisfaction with the preparations. The venue, Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, has undergone significant upgrades following issues encountered during the India Open earlier this year.
Organisers have implemented extensive measures to enhance the venue, aiming to prevent a recurrence of the problems that affected the India Open in January. During that event, a second-round match between HS Prannoy and Loh Kean Yew was interrupted twice by pigeons. Additionally, concerns regarding hygiene and air quality in Delhi were raised.
Venue Improvements and Player Feedback
With the BWF World Championships returning to India after 17 years, organisers have focused on ensuring a smooth staging of the event, which runs from August 17-23. Chen Yufei, a Tokyo Olympics gold medallist and currently ranked fourth in women’s singles, noted that the venue conditions are significantly better now compared to her experience at the India Open.
Li Shifeng, the men’s singles world number nine and a 2022 Asian Games gold medallist, also provided a positive assessment. He observed that the drift and court conditions, including the weather, are well-maintained. Li stated that the venue itself is well-kept and good, indicating thorough preparations.
The men’s doubles pair of Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang, who are ranked third globally and are set to compete in the Paris Olympics, acknowledged that the conditions differ from those at the India Open. They mentioned having an intense practice session and feeling prepared for the championships, noting the good weather.
Wang Zhi Yi, ranked third in the world, also found the stadium much improved. She had finished as a runner-up at the India Open, losing to An Se-young. Wang Zhi Yi mentioned a slight wind on the court during her training, suggesting players will need to adapt to these conditions.
Indian Hopes Led by PV Sindhu
Among the Indian contingent, PV Sindhu, a five-time World Championships medallist, is a key focus. The 31-year-old, who has secured one gold, two silvers, and two bronze medals at the championships, is considered a strong contender for the title. If she wins, she would surpass Zhang Ning as the most decorated shuttler in women’s singles.
Sindhu‘s recent form has been strong, including a victory at the Japan Open Super 750 in July. She also reached the semi-finals in Australia and Malaysia, and the quarter-finals in Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia. Her world ranking has improved by four positions, moving her into the top 10 from world number 13 at the beginning of the year.
A significant factor in her improved performance is a greater emphasis on sports science and building a dedicated support team. Wayne Lombard leads her strength and conditioning group, working alongside physio Heera Mundluru and Shreyasi Sanjay. Lombard has prior experience with Indian athletes in hockey, boxing, and with runner Jyothi Yarraji.
Sindhu highlighted the importance of having a sports science team, including strength and conditioning specialists and a physio, in addition to her coach. She noted that these resources help manage her body when it’s not at 100% and assist in injury prevention. She also mentioned the use of gadgets to monitor strain and fatigue, allowing for smart adjustments in training.
Reflecting on her evolution, Sindhu stated that her game, thinking, and strategy have changed over the past seven years since her last medal at the BWF World Championships. She observed that badminton, particularly women’s singles, has evolved from a faster, more attacking style to one featuring longer rallies that require greater patience.
Despite her extensive experience and two Olympic medals, Sindhu admits to still feeling pressure and butterflies before matches. She emphasized that she has nothing to lose and aims to perform her best, relying on her hard training. Her first gold medal at the BWF World Championships came after winning two bronze medals in 2013 and 2014, and two silver medals in 2017 and 2018.
Sindhu‘s draw for the BWF World Championships includes a match against Sophia Noble of Ireland. A potential challenge in the Round of 16 could be against Wang Zhi Yi, who has defeated Sindhu thrice this year. If she progresses, a quarter-final match against Putri Kusuma Wardani is possible; Wardani defeated Sindhu at last year’s World Championships.
Top seed An Se-young is on the opposite side of the draw, meaning a potential semi-final encounter. An Se-young holds a 10-0 head-to-head advantage over Sindhu. Sindhu also noted that the game will soon transition to a 15-point format, which she anticipates will be very challenging, requiring players to be sharp from the first point.
The Indian contingent, including Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty, Ayush Shetty, Lakshya Sen, and Hariharan Amsakarunan-MR Arjun, were observed practicing at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium ahead of the tournament’s start on Monday.
Sindhu was seen sparring with Ayush Shetty and later with Unnati Hooda, both debutants, under the guidance of coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama. These practice sessions included various deceptions and drop shots, with athletes taking water breaks while maintaining conversations.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
