Final Phobia: PV Sindhu's journey to overcome the fear
New Delhi : There was a phase when PV Sindhu ended up being the runner up in most of the tournaments. Talking more about it, she said that last year she was desperate to prove her mettle at World Championships where she overcame the final hurdle to beat long-time nemesis Nozomi Okuhara in the title clash.
She mentioned that losing final battles made her felt less strong and was frustrated with the tag 'silver Sindhu' given by the people.
Sindhu, who also won a silver medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics, admitted that she felt bad when people said she has a ‘final phobia’. “In the World Championships (last year), it was my third final, I have also won two bronze. I thought I have to win this at any cost. I was so desperate to win the title. I did not want people to say she lost in final again,” Sindhu said.
“I thought no matter what happens, I will give 100 percent and I have to just win this title. There were times people say ‘silver Sindhu’ about me. Sometimes these things comes to my mind,” she told Indian women cricketers Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues on the talk show “Double Trouble”.
Talking about that day of final when she beat her old rival Okuhara of Japan 21-7 21-7, Sindhu said, “Even if we say we are fine and cool, we have a bit of pressure. But I thought I will just focus on my game. I gave my best and won the final.”
Asked how she coped with the constant criticism of faltering in the final hurdle, she said, “After the 2016 Olympics, I have seven to eight silvers in a row in 2017. People started telling me that ‘you have a final phobia’ and you always lose in the final.
“It is not easy to come to the semifinal and final, but people do not know that. They are like ‘she lost in the final again’. But winning and losing is part of life.”
The 24-year-old Sindhu said after every loss, her focus automatically used to shift to her next outing.
“My thinking was ‘all right, I can win this final’. You should not bother people criticising you. For me, it is like ‘all right I can do it this time’. Just come back, rectify your mistakes and do better.”
