In an effort to polish her technique and improve her court coverage, Olympic medalist PV Sindhu has hired former world No. 1 Lee Hyun-il as a consultant coach. This mirrors her previous decision to work with Hafiz Hisham, another player celebrated for his grace on the court. Lee, a left-handed Korean specialist, will be collaborating with Anup Sridhar and the team on a short-term basis until December 2024.
Lee Hyun-il brings a wealth of experience to the role, having been the world's top-ranked player in 2004. His career highlights include a World Championship bronze, a victory at the 2008 Korea Open, and second-place finishes at the 2006 All-England Open and 2022 Asian Games. More than just the trophies, he is renowned for his effortless movement and technical precision, qualities that are expected to help Sindhu regain the court mobility she lost following various injuries.
Despite cycling through six different trainers over the last two years, Sindhu's results have remained stagnant for three seasons. She has found it difficult to recapture the form that led to her 2019 World Championship win, struggling to push deep into tournaments or consistently compete with the top seven players in the world.
In a recent press release, Sindhu expressed her excitement about the new additions to her team, stating: 'I'm thrilled to have Anup and Lee Hyun Il with me during such a pivotal time. Anup's deep knowledge of the Indian badminton scene and his strategic mind have always impressed me, and I'm eager to work with him. It is also a true honor to have Lee on board; his legendary experience and meticulous approach to the game are things I've always admired, and I look forward to learning from his attention to detail over the coming months.'
The Korean coach is expected to be a major asset during match play. Meanwhile, Vidhi Chowdary, appointed by the Sports Authority of India, will oversee the transition within the team, and Nisha Rawat has joined as Sindhu's new physiotherapist. Now 29, Sindhu is currently immersed in a rigorous training program as she prepares for a strong showing at the Arctic Open and Denmark Open this October.
Speaking with the media, Hyun-il mentioned that deciding to work with PV Sindhu was an easy choice. He noted that their previous time together in the PBL showcased her incredible talent and drive, and he is eager to help her reach new heights in her upcoming competitions.
In other news, former world number one Kidambi Srikanth has advanced to the second round of the 2024 Macau Open. On Wednesday, the current world No. 38 secured a comfortable victory over Israel's Daniil Dubovenko, who is ranked 102nd, winning the round of 32 match with a score of 21-14, 21-15.
The 31-year-old Indian star looked sharp in his first BWF appearance since an injury forced him to withdraw from the Singapore Open back in May. Srikanth took immediate control of the opening game with a 6-1 lead and maintained that intensity to close out the first set.
The second game saw a bit more resistance, as Dubovenko managed to pull within one point at 11-10 and 14-13, despite Srikanth starting with a 6-0 burst. However, the sixth seed quickly regained his composure and wrapped up the match in just 47 minutes.
On Thursday, September 26, Srikanth is set to face Ayush Shetty in the second round of this BWF Super 300 event. Shetty earned his spot by defeating fellow Indian Alap Mishra in straight games (21-13, 21-5). Notably, neither PV Sindhu nor Lakshya Sen are participating in the Macau Open.