Rio -- In the space of a week, PV Sindhu has written herself into the history books. The first Indian woman to win an Olympic silver medal, Sindhu's road to the podium has not been easy, as she's had to make quite a few sacrifices, including but not limited to leaving her mobile phone with her coach Pullela Gopichand for two months.
Soon after her defeat in the final to World No.1 Carolina Marin, Sindhu opened up about her preparations for Rio, the inevitable comparisons with Saina Nehwal, and the road ahead.
PV Sindhu. India's first female athlete to win a silver medal at the Olympics. That in itself is a remarkable achievement...
Yes, I think I'm really very happy and yes I didn't think (I would come this far) and when I was coming to Rio for the first time, I was really thinking match-by-match. And then I've come so far...so overall, it's just been a wonderful week for me.
Do you realise just what you've done to the country today? You are the number one trend across social media...
Yes, I'm very proud and very thankful. I'd like to thank my parents, my coach, and also my support staff out there. I'd like to especially thank the crowd out there; they've really supported me very well. I'm very thankful to them. I would like to thank the Indian government. They've been really supportive, as have Badminton Association of India. I am really grateful to them because they have prayed for me and made this possible. Thank you.
Did you ever feel that you were the second-best player on court during that final?
In the first game, I was down but then I came back and won the game. In the second game, I believed that I could do it. I think Carolina Marin played extremely well. After the second game, the third was quite equal. I just gave a few simple errors, and she took the lead of about 3-4 points. I feel that she maintained that throughout the match.
First of all, I congratulate her and I feel overall it was a good match for me. It was a good week for me, because I had not thought that I would come to the finals and get a silver medal at the Olympics. Of course, in a match one should lose and one should win, and maybe it was just her's to win today.
You beat three players ranked higher than you coming into this match, but Marin is the World No.1. What aspects of her game did you find toughest to deal with?
I think (going into) today, I didn't tell myself that she is No.1. I felt that it was anybody's game today. Whoever really fights hard and gives their best would be the winner. I think both of us did that, and one should win and one should lose.
Both of us were really very aggressive on court, and we wanted this medal. Because this is the Olympics, and it's big - the gold medal match. Anybody would think that I have to take it. Both of us fought for it, and I feel it's her day today.
You've had a few early losses this year. Just what changed in Rio?
I think I've really worked hard before coming here, and I've been training really hard. There are so many sacrifices also, because Gopi sir [her coach Pullela Gopichand] has made many sacrifices, and all of those days, he was on court with me, making me do my training.
There was one more player in (Kidambi) Srikanth, and he was also working really hard. I think he too played a really brilliant game. I think my parents have also really worked hard for me, made many sacrifices for me. And I have got a medal for them now.
You are among the top 10 singles players of the world now. What's the next goal? Top five? Winning a Super Series title?
Definitely I would try to win (a Super Series title) and from now, I think it will change a lot. With the same confidence, I would go much further and win some of the Super Series titles.
Comparisons with Saina Nehwal are inevitable, because she has achieved so much in the sport. Today, do you feel like more of an equal player than you did before because of what you have achieved?
I think everybody until the top 20 or 30 rankings is an equal. You don't know when what might happen and things might change anytime any day. So it's a different comparison with everybody else. I think with everybody it's a different strategy and a different style of play.
I think with Saina, it's a different thing, because she has achieved a lot more and she's very much elder to me. Yes, she's achieved a lot more. Today finally, I think I have achieved something in my life, because this is my dream. It's anybody's dream to get a medal at the Olympics and I've done it. I'm really very happy.
So, Gold in Tokyo 2020?
Hopefully yes (smiling), I will definitely work hard to get a gold.
Gopi just told us that he didn't give you your phone for the last two months. Now that you've got the silver, what are the one or two things that you want to do when you get home?
Now I'm in a mood to celebrate, so I want to go back to India as soon as possible. Yes, of course, I'm going to get my phone back {laughs}. And then I'm going to eat a bit of junk food, so that's ok for today, because I've got a medal and I've achieved something. Obviously, he's (Gopichand) is not going to say no.