Picture Credit: Twitter
Indian ace shuttler PV Sindhu joined hands with badminton veteran Prakash Padukone to train in Bengaluru. The two-time Olympic medalist also made the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy (PPBA) in Bengaluru, her permanent training base. Sindhu shifted to the former world champion’s academy for a week in August after having a few rough outings.
The shuttler is currently on her road to recovery after suffering a knee injury and is likely to make her comeback in February 2024. Not only this, but Sindhu also opted to protect her ranking as she currently occupies the 11th spot on the standings. The 28-year-old took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce her latest move of joining the former world number 1.
Sindhu tweeted, “For those wondering and constantly asking me, the cat is finally out of the bag!!” She added, “Prakash sir is assuming the role of the mentor in my setup. I started training with him at the end of August, and it's been uphill ever since. He's more than a mentor; he's my guide, my guru, and, above all, a true friend.”
Adding further, Sindhu said, “I wholeheartedly believe he possesses the magic to bring out the absolute best from my game. I am so grateful he reached out to me with one call when I was in Japan, and we've built on that connection exceptionally well. Dear sir, I AM PUMPED!! Looking forward to training with you! Let’s get to work.”
Earlier, Sindhu parted ways with her childhood coach, Pullela Gopichand before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Sindhu’s majority of success, including her silver in the Rio Olympics as well as World Championship gold came under the guidance of Gopichand.
