Sindhu: Tai can definitely be beaten, there’s no huge gap

What does one do to solve the Tai Tzu Ying puzzle?

“The way she is playing, whether it’s her smash or drop, her shots actually go very deep…you have to take three more steps to take them,” said P. V. Sindhu after her loss to Taipei’s World No. 1.

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And that’s one of the tallest girls in the world badminton circuit speaking.

And despite her and Saina Nehwal’s very dismal win-loss record against Tai Tzu, Sindhu doesn't feel that there is a huge gulf between her and the Taipei star whom she last beat at the Rio Olympics two years ago.

“I don’t think there’s a huge gap. Definitely, we will and we are going to break that (record). I know it’s not so easy but if you work on your mistakes, definitely, we can do it.”

Admiring her, could help

Despite the pain of seeing his precious trainee losing, P. Gopichand could not help admiring Tai Tzu Ying’s game. And that, he feels, could help too.

“If you do that, there’s a whole lot we can learn from her. And we can play and try a few things too,” said the Chief National Coach. “I don’t think in world badminton, there has ever been another girl who has been as deceptive.”

Apart from being deceptive, Tai Tzu is a wonderful combination too.

Sindhu settles for silver, Chinese Taipei top seed sinks her

“To be deceptive, you also have to have the other qualities. Tai Tzu is a combination where she is not only deceptive. She is deceptive, powerful, she can run and she has a physique that supports her in terms of endurance and speed. That’s what together makes her the champion that she is,” said Gopi.

He felt that he has to now work out new strategies for the Taipei girl.

“Well, I think, there was very little Sindhu could have done, probably we need to go back and work on a few things, the strokes and other things to ensure that these problems are sorted out.”