INDIA'S star badminton player PV Sindhu is in the hunt to upgrade her Olympic medal at Tokyo Olympics that kicks off on Friday (23) but the 26-year-old admits that the pressure is already on and she will face big challenges.
Sindhu, who won the silver at the Rio Olympic Games and is currently No.7 in the world, will begin her campaign on Sunday (25) when she will meet Israel’s Ksenia Polikarpova in a Group J game.
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With Rio champion Carolina Marin out of Tokyo with a knee injury, Sindhu is among the favourites to win the top medal. The ace shuttler also knows that the expectation is high but that also puts her under a lot more responsibilities.
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“There is definitely a lot of expectation. There are a lot more responsibilities and definitely there will be pressure,” Sindhu said, reflecting on her status as current world champion.
“I’m sure a lot of people are going to look for me because, even the last time in 2016 (Rio), I was not a known person,” she said, adding, “But I think now people are looking at me and knowing my game.”
"I think it’s comparatively tough and it's not going to be easy,” she added. Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying, China’s Chen Yufei and Japanese duo Nozomi Okuhara and Akane Yamaguchi are also the top contenders for the gold this time.
India so far have seen only one individual gold medallist at the Olympics and it is Abhinav Bindra who won it in shooting at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Sachin Tendulkar of India celebrates his 50th Test century during day 4 of the 1st Test match between South Africa and India at SuperSport Park on December 19, 2010 in Centurion, South Africa. Photo by Duif du Toit / Gallo Images/Getty Images
Cheteshwar Pujara of India celebrates after reaching his century during day one of the Fourth Test match in the series between Australia and India at Sydney Cricket Ground on January 03, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
