Paris: Kristin Kubba has nothing to lose against PV Sindhu. That’s what driving the Estonian world No.74 ahead of her maiden meeting with the two-time Indian Olympic medallist at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 on Wednesday. Kubba is in Group M alongside Sindhu and Maldives’ FN Abdul Razzaq. While Sindhu has already opened her account with an easy win over Abdul Razzaq, Kubba is yet to play a game in the competition so far.
Making her second Olympic appearance In Paris, Kubba had always wanted to play against Sindhu. “Before the draw, the coach asked who I would like to play with from the top ten in the world. ‘I said Sindhu’,” the 25-year-old Kuuba revealed. With a silver (2016) and a bronze (2020) already in her cabinet, Sindhu is aiming for a third medal that would make her the most decorated Indian athlete in the history of the Olympics.
Ranked 26th in the world, the former top-ranked Sindhu was no match for Abdul Razzaq in the opening group encounter. The Indian won’t be an easy opponent for Kubba too. “In that sense, I got what I hoped for. Playing against a multiple Olympic medalist, he is also one of the highest-paid athletes in the world, who is very well known in the badminton world and the world at large…. this is what I train for every day. To show in these moments what I go to training for every day,” she said.
Kubba knows the challenges she will be facing against Sindhu. The Indian is tall, powerful on borderline shots and many more. But the Estonian has her plans ready for Sindhu. “Sindhu is certain about her attacking and aggressive game. She is definitely taller than average, hits shots with a sharper angle.
“Lately, in training, I have emphasized being ready in the defensive game for sharper angles and more borderline shots. My strength could be that I have nothing to lose, showing what I’ve learned and what my trump cards are. To get the balls that she doesn’t produce in defense and then start to build a counter-attack from there,” she said.
