Pullela Gopichand trains Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu at different academies

Pullela Gopichand trains Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu at different academies

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The National badminton coach Pullela Gopichand has been training Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu at two different venues as the players are no longer comfortable with each other. Gopichand has insisted that the decision was taken by the coaching team and was in the best interest of both the players.

The Indian badminton coach, Pullela Gopichand has been confronted with a unique problem as two of the best women badminton players’ that India has don’t seem very comfortable with each other and hence, have been training separately. 

According to reports from TOI, Gopichand has been training Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu at separate academies over the last few days as they are no longer comfortable training together ever since the team came back from CWG after winning gold. When asked about the delicate situation, Gopichand said that it was a decision taken by the coaching team in the best interests of the players. 

“In the interest of the players, our coaching team has taken this decision. I had earlier trained them in separate schedules. We do whatever suits the players best,” Gopichand said as quoted by TOI.

According to this development, Gopichand has to divide his time between the two academies. “I have no problem. Everything is going well and the players are also doing quite well,” Gopichand said.

Gopichand has two training centres, which are halfkilometre apart from each other. Since the opening of the new academy, all the single players have been training there. When Saina returned to Gopichand’s academy last September, after a three-year stint with Vimal Kumar at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Bangalore, where she achieved the world number 1 rank, both the girls were training at the same venue.  

Many people opined that the Sindhu’s rise led to Saina’s exit from Gopichand’s academy in September 2014. However, after her return, Saina has found her form and has even defeated Sindhu at the CWG final. Sindhu’s father has stated that they have been comfortable with the schedule and they have no complaints whatsoever.  

“We are comfortable with the schedule. Her practice is going well, Gopi is allocating a lot of time for her. What more can we ask for?” said Sindhu’s father PV Ramana, who was a former national-level Volleyball player.

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