To succeed, you have to forget your last loss: P Gopichand

NOIDA: Two days after PV Sindhu’s heart-breaking loss to world No 2 Akane Yamaguchi in the riveting three-game final of the BWF World Super Series Finals in Dubai, national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand visited the TOI office and spoke exclusively to us on why this particular loss rankled so much, the challenges of coaching and Sindhu’s preparations for a busy 2018 badminton season.
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Speaking to TOI, the 44-year old former badminton champion revealed that Sindhu had been feeling unwell throughout the tournament. “The final was very difficult and Sindhu was down with a cold. She was sweating and constantly wiping her nose. Credit to her for still putting up such a fight,” said Gopichand.
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Normally a picture of calm composure when seen court-side during his pupils’ badminton matches, the 2001 All-England Open winner was visibly more animated than usual during Sunday's match. “The situation was such that I had to get more involved. Yes, I am usually calm during matches," he said. "This time, it was the situation that probably forced me to appear more animated. I had to connect with Sindhu differently and she had to dig deep into her reserves after the first game.”
Reflecting on his work as the most high-profile badminton coach in the sport, Gopichand highlighted the need to help his players move on immediately from defeat as one of the most critical aspects of his role. “To succeed, it is very, very important to put your last loss behind you and move on quickly,” Gopichand told TOI. “You cannot allow a player to get down or think too much about what went wrong or what didn’t work to plan. Staying fresh mentally is critical. As a coach, I have to help the player move on from a loss.”
Sindhu’s career head-to-head record against Yamaguchi now stands at 5-3.
On Sindhu’s upcoming tournament plans, Gopichand said: “It is here that as a coach, I keep the motivation up and help her move on from defeat. It can have an impact on a player’s mindset. We have a huge year ahead, with the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, 12 Super Series, the Indian GP and lastly the Super Series Finals. Players have to keep focused on what is ahead."
Since he retired from badminton, Gopichand has focussed his energies on scouting young talent who can raise India’s flag globally. His state-of-the-art academy in Hyderabad has trained the cream of Indian badminton players, including Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth, Saina Nehwal, HS Prannoy, B Sai Praneeth, Parupalli Kashyap, Sourabh and Sameer Varma. Earlier this year, three of his young students won medals at the Under-15 women’s and doubles’ events at the International Junior Grand Prix.