PV Sindhu‘s heartening recent performance makes her a genuine medal contender for the World Championships and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as per India’s chief badminton coach Pullela Gopichand.Double Olympic medallist Sindhu reached the Japan Open Super 750 final on Saturday after her opponent Chen Yu Fei retired in the second game. This was the second big win for Sindhu in the tournament after she took down fifth-seed Han Yue before.“Sindhu is definitely a threat for the World Championships. 2028 LA Olympics is a little far but many of the shuttlers can’t read her game style,” Gopichand told the media on the sidelines of the mascot launch of the World Championships.The 31-year-old Sindhu was leading 21-19, 15-10 when world No. 4 Chen was forced to pull out with a hamstring injury. It was a brilliant performance from the 10th-ranked Indian, who dominated the Chinese. She broke a five-match losing streak against Yu Fei, dating back to 2019 when she last beat her 21-7, 21-14 on the way to her Worlds title at Basel.Also Read | ‘Can get suddenly disheartened losing lead’: PV Sindhu beats World No 4 Chen YufeiAt the World Championships starting next month, Sindhu will lead India’s campaign. As per Gopichand, she only needs to figure out the gameplay of reigning Olympic champion and world No. 1 An Se Young.“It will be interesting to see how she handles An Se Young but whether it’s Chen Yu Fei or Han Yue orany of the top players, she can beat them,” said Gopichand of his former pupil.In Tokyo on Sunday, it will be Sindhu’s first final since winning the Syed Modi International in Lucknow in 2024. She had also finished runner-up at the Malaysia Open Super 500 earlier that year. Her last major title came at the Singapore Open Super 500 in 2022.Story continues below this adBefore Chen, Sindhu defeated Han Yue in straight games in the second round, while Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara gave her a walkover.“I think these players whom she’s beaten (in Japan Open), she could have beaten earlier also. Against Han Yue, she has an 8-1 record. I don’t think Han Yue has the speed to actually handle Sindhu,” Gopichand added.