World Champion PV Sindhu returns home to a rousing welcome, says ‘it’s a great moment’

PV Sindhu, the first ever Indian badminton player to win the BWF World Championships, returned to New Delhi to a rousing welcome by fans, authorities and mediapersons on Monday night. Speaking to reports after her arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Sindhu said that she is “really very proud to be an Indian”.

The ace shuttler said that she wants to win many more medals for the country, adding that her victory in Switzerland was “a great moment for me”.

“I wish I will get many more medals for this country. I would like to thank all my fans. It is because of their blessings and love that I am here today,” said the badminton player.

#WATCH: #PVSindhu after becoming the first Indian shuttler to win BWF World Championship: I wish I'll get many more medals for this country. I would like to thank all my fans. It is because of their blessings & love that I am here today. pic.twitter.com/A4mJCvgJ0A — ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2019

Amid cheers from fans at the airport, the shuttler said, “(It is) a great moment for me. I am really very proud to be an Indian.”

Delhi: #PVSindhu welcomed at IGI Airport on her return from Switzerland after winning the BWF World Championships, the first-ever Indian shuttler to achieve the feat; says, "a great moment for me. I am really very proud to be an Indian". pic.twitter.com/i5NkxHclaR — ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2019

Sindhu defeated her Japanese opponent and world number three Nozomi Okuhara in the finals of the women's singles event at the BWF World Championships. She was at her absolute best as did not give any chance to her rival throughout the match to seal a comfortable 21-7, 21-7 win in a much-anticipated final clash that lasted just 38 minutes.

It was Sindhu's fifth title at the tournament, thus making her the joint highest in women's singles in the history of the BWF World Championships along with two-time Olympic gold medallist Xhang Ning of China. Sindhu won a bronze each in the 2013 and 2014 editions of the tournament before clinching two back-to-back silvers in previous two editions. 

The victory also saw Sindhu extend her lead over Okuhara to 9-7 in head-to-head series.Sindhu's gold was also the second medal that India has won at the 2019 BWF World Championships after B Sai Praneeth, who settled for a bronze medal in the men's singles event of the tournament on Saturday.