While Sindhu has continued changing coaches – this is her sixth shuffle in two years – her game has remained stagnant for three seasons, with bigger titles drying up. (File/Reuters)
Refining strokes and smoothening court movements seems to be the goal as PV Sindhu has added former World no 1 Korean Lee Hyun-il to her team as consultant coach.
This can be seen as a continuation of Sindhu’s earlier decision to rope in Malaysian Hafiz Hisham, a similarly elegant player from the past, two seasons ago. The Korean left-hander will join Anup Sridhar in her coaching team for an interim arrangement until December 2024.
Hyun-il, who became World No 1 in 2004, is a former World Championship bronze medallist. He won the 2008 Korea Open and was runners up at the 2002 Asian Games and 2006 All England, but more than his titles, he was widely admired for his gazelle-like court movement and strokeplay, and can smoothen out some of Sindhu’s court coverage issues, that remain greatly restricted in efficacy since her injuries.
While Sindhu has continued changing coaches – this is her sixth shuffle in two years – her game has remained stagnant for three seasons, with bigger titles drying up. She hasn’t quite managed to go deep into tournaments and contend for titles against the Top 7, since her World title in 2019.
On the coaching addition, Sindhu said in the release, “I’m thrilled to have Anup and Lee Hyun Il joining my team in this crucial period. Anup’s understanding of Indian badminton and his strategic approach have always impressed me, and I look forward to working closely with him. Having Lee, with his meticulous preparation and legendary experience, is an honour. I’ve always respected his attention to detail, and I can’t wait to learn from him during these next few months.”
The Korean will also prove an asset in sparring on court.
Sindhu will next head to the Arctic Open and Denmark Open in October.
Lee Hyun-il was quoted by the press release as saying, “Working with PV Sindhu was an easy decision. Our previous partnership in the PBL highlighted her fierce determination and exceptional talent, and I am excited to contribute to her growth and success in the upcoming tournaments.”
The rest of her team includes Vidhi Chowdary, deputed by Sports Authority of India to oversee the transition. Nisha Rawat joins as her new physio.
