Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu had a great European swing finishing runner-up at the French Open Super 750 before winning the Hylo Open Super 500 last week.The 31-year-old displayed consistency and even took a game off reigning World and Olympic champion An Se-young in the French Open title clash.Currently working with Indonesian coach Irwansyah, Sindhu has incorporated a few technical changes in her game, including the dominant play at the net.“We have been working on all aspects of the court, especially towards the net. When you’re competing against the top-ranked athletes, it’s important to remain on top of the game,” Sindhu said during a virtual press conference organised by the Badminton Association of India.The biggest advantage Sindhu has at net is her reach. During rallies, she shifts quickly from defensive blocks to rain smashes, catching her opponents off guard.“There is no room for errors at the elite level. Even the smallest thing matters. So, we need to be strong in all aspects to compete with the best,” she explained.One of the reasons behind the adjustment is the constant evolution of the sport.Story continues below this ad“Badminton is evolving as a sport. In today’s game, we have to stay patient on the court and adapt accordingly. The adjustments have allowed me to compete with the previous generation and now this generation also,” the 2019 world champion said.With a new gameplan and adjustments, Sindhu had a decent run in the 2026 season, winning two titles on the BWF World tour (Japan Open and Hylo Open) apart from a runner-up finish.She has also booked her berth for the BWF World Tour Finals, a tournament she won back in 2018 and finished runner-up in at her last appearance in 2021.After the European swing, Sindhu has opted out of the Korea Open and Japan Masters keeping the World Tour Finals in mind.Story continues below this ad“I have to take care of my body. I am not young anymore,” laughed Sindhu. “Initially, the plan was to play other tournaments also, but then I decided not to as the break is important for a stronger comeback. I had back-to-back tournaments in Europe, so the decision came after these events.”Sindhu credited her team for focusing on recovery and helping her manage the body during such a hectic schedule.“Recovery is one of the most important aspects of today’s elite sport. In badminton, the schedule can be very brutal. Thanks to my team, especially strength and conditioning coach Wayne Lombard, I have been able to recover well on time,” she said.The recovery was on display during the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, where Sindhu had to play two matches in the space of 24 hours.Story continues below this adApart from qualifying for the season finale, she has also moved up to World no.6, her highest ranking since December 2022.“I am happy that I am back in the top rankings. It feels like I’m back in 2022 again,” quipped Sindhu.However, she believes there is still scope of improvement in her game despite the good run she has had.“I can improve on a few minute things and there are adjustments to make which I’ll do with my team now,” she added.Story continues below this adWhen asked what has changed for her as a player over the last decade, Sindhu explained that patience and maturity has made victories sweeter.“Getting wins now is much sweeter. Back in my 20s, everything was new and I had butterflies after winning matches,” she recalled. “In your 20s, you are frustrated and annoyed by what is happening but now you understand what is going on.”Sindhu has more than a month before the World Tour Finals start on December 9. She will be back after a gap of five years and face familiar foes like Se-young, Akane Yamaguchi, Chen Yufei and Wang Zhiyi.sPritish Raj works with sports team at The Indian Express' and is based out of New Delhi. Read More Tags:badminton