PV Sindhu is a name that requires no introduction. Sindhu is one of just two Indian badminton players who have won an Olympic medal, the other being Saina Nehwal. She is also the first Indian woman to win a silver medal in the Olympics.
The ace shuttler initially attracted international attention when, at the age of 17, she rose into the top 20 of the BWF World Ranking, and has remained in the top 10 for the duration of her professional career.
Let us take a look at her significant achievements on the international stage on the occasion of her 26th birthday:
Gold at Malaysian Open Title 2013
Sindhu made a stunning transition from a young prodigy to one of the best shuttlers in the world by winning her maiden Grand Prix title in Malaysia.
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Bronze at Guangzhou World Championship 2013
In China, Sindhu made the entire world sit up and take notice of her. The 26-year-old defeated 2012 Olympic silver winner Wang Yihan to earn the bronze medal at the BWF World Championship in Guangzhou. Sindhu also made headlines by becoming the first Indian shuttler to win a singles medal at the World Championships.
Silver at Denmark Open Super Series 2015
Sindhu was in fine form in Odense, advancing to the final after defeating Wang Yihan in the quarterfinals and Carolina Marin in the semis. In the final, Li Xuerui defeated Sindhu in straight games, although her path to the top was remarkable.
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Silver at Rio Olympics 2016
Sindhu’s career peak also happens to be the peak of Indian badminton history. Her remarkable talents soared to an unparalleled stature when she made a silver medal-winning performance at the Rio Olympics. Although she fell at the last hurdle, her second-place result was one better than India’s best in the 116-year history of the event.
Gold at India Open 2017
Sindhu won her maiden India Open 2017 Superseries championship after beating Marin in straight games, avenging her loss at the Rio Olympics. Marin, on the other hand, wasn’t the first big name to fall in front of Sindhu during the event. In the quarter-finals, Sindhu upset 2012 London Olympics bronze winner Saina Nehwal, and then she defeated world number two Sung Ji Hyun in the semi-finals en route to her title win.
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Gold at BWF World Championships 2019
On August 25, 2019, Sindhu became the first Indian to win the BWF World Championships, defeating Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara 21-7, 21-7 in a one-sided final in just 36 minutes.
