Syed Modi International 2024: Unnati Hooda, PV Sindhu set to face off in clash of generations
On Friday, Sindhu appeared to have learnt from her previous struggles in the tournament, playing her best game so far in an easy 21-15, 21-17 win against China’s Wang Dai.
Published : Nov 29, 2024 16:03 IST , Lucknow - 3 MINS READ
India’s PV Sindhu in action during the Syed Modi International Super 300 badminton tournament. | Photo Credit: SANDEEP SAXENA
Statistically, PV Sindhu and Unnati Hooda have nothing in common.
The two-time Olympic medalist and former World Number 2 had already won the first of her five World Championships medals by the time Unnati was five years old. And when the two meet in the semifinals of the Syed Modi international Super 300 in Lucknow on Saturday, the result may well indicate if the baton has been passed to the next generation or not.
On Friday, Sindhu appeared to have learnt from her previous struggles in the tournament, playing her best game so far in an easy 21-15, 21-17 win against China’s Wang Dai.
Attacking from the beginning and controlling her strokes, Sindhu was more fluid in her movements and made full use of the court, making Wang work hard for every point. A few unforced errors in the second game had some tense moments for her father, sitting far above, but little of concern.
Unnati, on the other hand, started tentatively, struggling with the AC drift and the court surface against Ishika Jaiswal in the first game before breezing through the second for a 21-16, 21-9 win.
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The 17-year old, considered among the brightest of upcoming talents in Indian badminton, is looking forward to the clash. “I have never played against her before so pretty excited about the match. Sindhu di and Saina are my idols but there is no pressure. I will just go out there and give my best, play freely and hopefully will also learn from the match,” she told Sportstar.
Coached by her father Upkar at Rohtak, Unnati is also an outlier in Indian badminton, not associated with any of the big names and training outside the well-entrenched academies in the country. But the learning is a recurring theme with Unnati but there is also a quiet confidence that belies the strength in her delicate frame.
“There is still a lot to learn from players like Sindhu and Saina, a lot to improve in my game in every aspect. I need to focus on both fitness and game skills, need to improve a lot physically, get stronger. I switched to non-vegetarian diet after my injury in January this year and it took a long time to get back on court. This is just the beginning,” the shy teenager said.
“They have done a lot for the country and I want to do the same, may be even more, go further. There is a lot to prove. But they are different and I don’t think I can or want to be the next Saina or Sindhu, I would want to be the first Unnati,” she smiled.
Meanwhile, in the men’s draw, Lakshya Sen and Priyanshu Rajawat won their respective quarterfinal matches and, being drawn in separate halves, remained on course for an all-Indian final.