Badminton sensation PV Sindhu feels it is good for the sport to have the rivalry with fellow Indian Saina Nehwal. "The rivalry is always there and I think the rivalry is very good for the sport. On-court only one can win so I would play to win myself and she wants to win for herself," Sindhu said on the sidelines of a felicitation programme organised by the Badminton Association of India here on Saturday.
"Off court we are just normal friends, she has a different timing and I have a different timing sessions," she added.
Sindhu also said that the rivalry is always with one or the other player and to beat a top player, one has to think in a new way. "All the top five and ten players in the world are of the same standard. Each one of them has a different style of game, so you need to think differently to compete with them," she explained.
The Hyderabadi shuttler has been on an upward rise since her Rio Olympics Silver medal in 2016.
However, the 22-year-old player has since lost quite a few finals.
She had lost in the title clash of the Glasgow World Championship and Dubai Super Series Final last year, and was in the losing end of India Super Series and All England Championship finals this year. last month, she had lost in a final to compatriot Saina Nehwal at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
When asked if it had affected her in any way, she replied, "It doesn't really affect (me). People might be talking but I think coming to the finals in itself is a very big thing. Before I used to lose in the quarterfinals, semifinals but now I am reaching the finals, so I am going a step ahead."
"I might lose at times which are very, very close matches, it's her (opponent) game or my game in that situation, so if you lose it's not like I regret anything but I would learn from the mistakes and try to come back stronger," she added.
Kidambi Srikanth, who was also present at the event, explained how he deals with mounting public expectations. "I don't think about these things, because it will only put a lot of pressure on me. I just want to work hard and do my best," he said.
Earlier, the BAI felicitated the medal winners from the CWG, by handing out cash reward to the tune of one crore thirty lakh rupees.
Among the major ones, the BAI awarded Rs 20 lakh to Saina, and Rs 10 lakh each to Sindhu and Srikanth. Chief national coach Pullela Gopichand was also felicitated with Rs 10 lakh.