Q: First of all, congratulations. It's been almost two years since you won another title at the Super 750 level. How does this feel?
PV Sindhu: Thank you. I'm very, very happy. I'm just out of words because, as you said, I think it was 19 months, if I'm not wrong, since the last time I won. This one was very, very important to me because playing in the final is one thing, but to win and stand on the podium with that gold is something different altogether. I'm happy that I'm on the positive side, and I think this gives me a lot of confidence.
I'm very thankful to my coach, Irwansyah, my parents, my support staff, and, of course, my husband.
Q: What was the first thought that went through your mind after the winning point? We saw the emotion when you bent over.
PV Sindhu: Actually, on the last point, the shuttle was out and I had to make a court judgment. I had to challenge it, and I knew it was out. But until the last moment, you never know what is going to happen, so you can't take it easy.
Even in the second game, though I was leading 8-3 and 14-8, some of my mistakes, like mid-court smashes, were going out. So it was very important for me to stay calm and focus on each point because there have been games where I was leading and they turned the other way.
After winning the first game, I just had to stay in control and make sure every point mattered until the end.
Q: You mentioned staying focused. You also showed a lot of aggression throughout the match. How were you able to maintain that?
PV Sindhu: It was very important for me to stay positive all the time. Even though I was leading in the first game, she came close because, against top athletes, you can't take it easy even when you're ahead.
Every point mattered, and I maintained the same aggressiveness. It was the same in the second set as well. In the end, I couldn't control my emotions, but I think it was a really good match because there were some really long rallies, and I won some of those big rallies. That was very important.
Q: Looking back at the other semi-finals and finals you've played, what did you do differently this time that helped you cross the line?
PV Sindhu: For me, it didn't matter whether it was a semi-final, a final, or even the first or second round. It was important to stay calm.
Sometimes, when you're leading, you want to finish the rallies quickly, and you end up making simple mistakes, which did happen in the second game. But my coach kept telling me, "It's OK, just focus on the next point." So I let go of what had happened and focused on the next point. I think that made the difference.
My strength has always been my attack. Since I'm moving well and attacking well, it's important for me to cut down on the unforced errors. Not making too many unforced errors definitely changes the game because the rallies become much longer.
Q: You were emotional after the win. What was going through your mind?
PV Sindhu: I had tears in my eyes because it was very, very important for me to win. I had been working really hard on myself, and I kept believing that I could do it.
A lot of people were asking, "What's happening? Is it done?" But I still believed in myself, my family, my coaches, and my support staff.
I'd like to thank Wayne, Hera, Shai, and my coach, Irwansyah. Both my families-my parents and my in-laws-have been there for me, and, most importantly, my husband. They stood by me through everything, even in my losses.
This win was very, very important for me, and I'm grateful to the people around me who guided me so well.
Q: Does this victory give you confidence going forward to the World Championships?
PV Sindhu: Definitely. This will give me a lot of confidence. I need to keep up the same tempo, maintain the same calmness, stay confident, and keep going. That's the aim. It's really good to win at this stage, and I want to maintain that.
Thank you.
