&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "'I won't hide it. I hated playing against you': PV Sindhu writes emotional post for former world no 1, Tai Tzu Ying, who announced her retirement")
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu shared a heartfelt note for her long-time rival and friend Tai Tzu Ying, after the Chinese Taipei badminton star announced her retirement. Throughout her illustrious career, Tai earned an Olympic silver medal in Tokyo, 17 BWF World Tour titles, and medals at both the World Championships and Asian Championships. Her final title came at the 2024 India Open. Sindhu, who faced Tai numerous times on court—including in the 2016 Rio Olympics, where Sindhu went on to win silver, and in the Tokyo 2020 semifinals, where Tai defeated her—paid a warm tribute. The two met 24 times, with Sindhu winning five of their encounters.
Tai announced her retirement on Friday, writing, “A beautiful chapter has come to an end. Thank you, badminton, for everything you have given me. Eventually, my injuries forced me to leave the court. I could not end my career the way I had hoped, and it took me a while to come to terms with that. I have not decided what I'll do next, but for now, I am going to enjoy a life without alarm clocks.”
See PV Sindhu's Instagram post below
yPV Sindhu took it to Instagram and wrote, “For over 15 years, you were the opponent who pushed me to my limits every single time. Two of the most important medals of my life — the Rio 2016 Olympic silver and the 2019 World Championship gold — came after playing you in those marathon, heart-stopping matches. In Rio, we met in the pre-quarters, and in Basel, it was the quarters — and both times I had to dig as deep as I ever have. And of course, you got me back in the 2021 semifinals and denied me an Asian Games gold. I still remember that one with a smile.”
“I won’t hide it: I hated playing you. Your wristwork, your deception, your calm brilliance made me dig deeper than I ever imagined I could. Facing you changed me as an athlete.@taesang2734 will tell you how much we prepared before playing you. But beyond the rivalry, we built something truly meaningful. A quiet friendship, a deep respect, and a bond shaped through years of battles that only we fully understand. Watching you step away feels like losing a piece of my own journey. The sport will miss your magic, and so will I. It is starting to hit me that my generation of players are slowly beginning to step away, and nothing really prepares you for that. Wishing you the most beautiful second innings, dear Tai.”
Tai commented on the post by saying, “Thank you for your beautiful words. It touched my heart deeply. Every journey has its end, but the memories stay forever. Thanks again for being part of it — it wouldn’t have been same without you.”
