For PV Sindhu, 2026 has been a career-reviving year that has seen her reach three finals, secure two titles, and beat top opponents to climb back to No.6 in the world for the first time since December 2022.
Having also booked a spot in the elite BWF World Tour Finals — a tournament she won in 2018 — for the first time in five years, Sindhu’s journey this year is a testament to her maturity, tactical evolution, and unyielding passion for the sport.
But a lot of people don’t see what’s going on off-court… all aspects coming together allow me to give my 100%,” said Sindhu. This evolution extends beyond playing styles to structural and rule changes on the horizon, including the impending shift to the 15-point scoring system. The 15-point system will fundamentally alter match dynamics, according to Sindhu. Half the game is over in 15 points. “We are seeing a lot of youngsters and I am happy that there are 4-5 girls who are coming up and are doing really well.
The secret behind her physical consistency lies in a newly assembled team comprising strength and conditioning coach Wayne Lombard, physios Heera Mundluru and Shreyasi Sanjay, and coach Irwansyah. Rather than grinding through every single tournament, Sindhu and her team have embraced strategic selectivity. “When you’re enjoying it, you just go with the flow. It’s not just me. Yes, on court, you’ll see it’s just me playing. “Badminton as a sport has definitely changed. “Back then it was more of an attacking game. But now it’s more of these rallies, you know, staying more patient on court. “In the new system, it’s important that you have to be alert from the beginning. So, it is definitely going to be very intense from the beginning. As a senior stateswoman and chair of the BWF Athletes’ Commission, the two-time Olympic medallist has also been a crucial voice in listing out player concerns. Yet, even as she addresses global rule changes, she looks at the domestic landscape, saying that India’s rising stars are ready for the changes that will be implemented next season. Ashmita (Chaliha) has done really well and Anmol (Kharb) had been doing really well.
And I am happy that I was able to compete back then with that generation and also now with this generation,” she said. You’ll need to be on your toes,” she said. Of course, Unnati (Hooda) and Tanvi (Sharma) too,” said Sindhu, welcoming the depth building within Indian women’s badminton.
