Three matches in 24 hours: PV Sindhu slams Asian Games badminton schedule
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Nagoya: PV Sindhu on Sunday criticised the Asian Games badminton scheduling, which had her play three singles matches in a span of 24 hours. Sindhu was scheduled to play two matches on Saturday, with the second match ending after midnight. She then returned to the court on Sunday for her quarterfinal match against Chen Yufei of China, which ended in a defeat.
"Not really, because the scheduling was not really well organised is what I feel," opined Sindhu when asked if she had ever played two matches within a day in any major championships earlier.
"We slept really late and then came back in the morning (on Sunday), playing two matches in a day. Recovery is the most important priority," added the two-time Olympic medallist.
Sindhu played her second-round match on Saturday afternoon, her third-round match ended around 1 am local time, and her quarterfinal match began around 1:30 pm local time on Sunday.
"It's more than mentally preparing, you need to recover. Even though you think you are doing good, physically you might not be able to go there or you might not be able to play," she said about preparing to play three fixtures within such a short period.
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Sindhu’s quarterfinal match saw decisions changing the course of the game which could have gone her way if proper replay was available. Hawk-eye was installed only at courts 1 and 2 at the Ichinomiya Gymnasium Hall, while Sindhu played on court 4.
"There were no cameras here. That was really sad. I felt that 2-3 shots were on the line. In the quarter-finals in the Asian Games, there should have been a camera is what I feel. Because these are the crucial matches. If you get that point, it is good. You have upper hand. You are playing with the cameras, playing with reviews,” she said about some of the line calls proving costly in the game.
"We can challenge it or if that's your point, you have a one point advantage. Sometimes an opponent is not able to move and the shuttle falls there and the line judge gives out. And you challenge, you get a point. So it's an advantage in a way. In the second game, I felt 2-3 shots were clear. But the line judge, you can't do anything about it."
