Sindhu skips Korea Open and Japan Masters to rest for BWF World Tour Finals: 'I am not young anymore'

India's Olympic medal-winning badminton player PV Sindhu has qualified for the BWF World Tour Finals. To prepare for the big tournament, she withdrew from a few events and decided to rest. In a light-hearted tone, Sindhu said, "I am not young anymore", and used the remark to stress the importance of fitness.

Sindhu's confidence is high after winning the Japan Open Super 750 and the Hylo Open in Germany. It is the first time since 2022 that she has won several BWF World Tour titles in a single season. Before the tournament in Saarbrucken, she had also reached the final of the French Open, but lost it to South Korea's An Se-young, the world number one and Paris Olympic champion.

After winning the Hylo Open, Sindhu decided not to play the Korea Open and the Japan Masters. Initially, she had planned to play all the tournaments. But after playing continuously, she felt her body needed rest and that she had to be fully fit for the upcoming World Tour Finals.

Speaking in a media interaction organised by the Badminton Association of India, Sindhu said that after a long stretch on tour, she felt it would not be possible to play the Korea Open and the tournaments after it. It was also important for her to return home and rest. She decided to take a break because she needed to look after her body and be fit for the next tournament.

Sindhu added, "I am not young anymore. But I have also said that 31 is the new 21. So I will have to take care of my body."

Meanwhile, a new 3x15 scoring system is to come into force in badminton from January 4, 2027. Sindhu also spoke about how the change will alter the nature of the game and how well her own game will suit it. She said the new system demands alertness and caution from the very start.

Sindhu made it clear that every player will have to practise with the 15-point format in mind. "We have played the 21-point system for many years. So we have trained and practised for the new system as well. The change will be different for every player. Staying alert from the start is important. You should not give away points easily until half the game is over. You have to be careful every moment," Sindhu said.