Ultimate goal is Paris Olympics but focus on winning CWG medal right now: PV Sindhu aims for gold at Birmingham

Star Indian shuttler and two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu has set her eyes on the Paris Olympics in 2024 while saying that currently her full focus is on the ongoing Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022. Sindhu, who is coming into the multi-sport event on the back of a maiden Singapore Open title, is hopeful of gold this time around.

Sindhu won the silver in 2018 at Gold Coast where she was beaten by her compatriot Saina Nehwal in an intense women's singles final by 18-21, 21-23. However, she hopes that she can finish the CWG well, which will keep her in good stead ahead of the World Championships in August.

Speaking to the news agency PTI, Sindhu said, "The ultimate goal is the Paris Olympics in 2024. But the focus right now is winning a CWG medal and then the World Championships.

"Winning at the Commonwealth Games is a big achievement, it happens every four years. And representing our country at the biggest certainly gives a lot of pride. Hoping for the gold this time."

The 27-year-old started her campaign in Birmingham with an easy win over her Pakistani counterpart Mahoor Shahzad 21-7, 21-6 as part of the mixed team event.

"It depends on the day" - Sindhu said when asked about she finding difficult to crack the world champions including the likes of Chinese Taipei's Tai Tzu-ying, Spain's Carolina Marin and Korea's An Se Young. Tzu-ying, in particular, has been a tough nut to crack as it has been almost three years since she beat the World No. 2 in the 2019 World Championships.

Sindhu hasn't been able to get past Tzu-ying in seven matches against her since then, including the World Championships 2021 quarter-final. Asked about her struggles against the three top players and Tzu-ying in particular, Sindhu said, "It's nothing like I'm not able to crack them. It's very important that each match matters. It just depends on that particular day. Each player has a different style of play, different stroke play.

"You must strategise accordingly because as I mentioned it just depends on that particular day. There were a lot of matches where seeded players lose in the first round, so it also depends on the court conditions," she added.

Sindhu signed off by saying that she focuses on her strokes everyday and even if she has won a medal she can't think that she has done well, it is done and dusted and it's past now and practices remains the biggest aspect.