P.V. Sindhu eyes record sixth World Championships medal

P.V. Sindhu begins her World Championships campaign in New Delhi on Monday, aiming to win a record sixth Worlds medal, according to the August 16, 2026, 10:27 pm IST report from New Delhi. The five-time World Championships medallist said she enters the tournament buoyed by recent form and a Japan Open title.

Sindhu is a five-time World Championships medallist and a sixth medal would make her the first women’s singles player to reach that total in the event. Fresh from ending a long wait for a title at the Japan Open, she said that victory had increased her confidence: “It has been quite good, physically and mentally. I have been able to see the changes in terms of my game and my movement,” she said. One constant, she added, is her “hunger towards the game”: “I know it is in me and I can still do it.”

Sindhu described how the nature of women’s singles has shifted, saying: “Women’s singles used to be more attacking and fast-paced. Now it is more about long rallies, patience and staying on court for a longer period.”

She pointed to experience as a factor in adapting to match conditions, saying: “I’m much more experienced now in terms of how to deal with different conditions on court. ”Sometimes there is drift, and sometimes you cannot control the shuttle the way you want. ”You have to change accordingly and make things convenient for yourself.”

Addressing the pressures of competing at home, Sindhu acknowledged expectations but stressed familiarity with match nerves: “I have played a lot of first-round matches where I had butterflies and there is a lot of pressure… at the same time, there is nothing to lose. I just want to give my best because I have trained hard and I have worked hard in my training session”.

Sindhu was pictured during a practice session in New Delhi on Sunday and will begin her campaign on Monday.