Ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu on Monday shocked many after she posted a statement on Twitter titled ‘I retire.’ Several social media users and even channels jumped to conclusions that she was announcing retirement from badminton. However, a closer look at her statement makes it evident that this is not the case. The lengthy post on her official Twitter handle, starts with Sindhu saying, "Denmark Open was the final straw. I RETIRE."
"I have been thinking about coming clean with my feelings for a while now. I admit I have been struggling to deal with it. It just feels so wrong, you know. That's why I'm writing today to tell you that I'm done. It's understandable if you're shocked or confused but by the time you finish reading this you would have learnt about my point of view, and hopefully, will support it too," the Rio Olympics silver medallist said.
However, what she was actually talking about is the negativity that has spread amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed lakhs of lives across the world. "This pandemic has been an eye-opener for me. I could train hard to fight the toughest of opponents, tooth and nail, right till the final shot of the game. I have done it before, I can do it again. But how do I defeat this invisible virus that has the entire world in a fix? It has been months at home and we still question ourselves every time we step out. Internalising all this and reading about so many heart-breaking stories online has got me to question a lot about myself and this world we live in. Not being able to represent India in the Denmark Open was the last straw," she added.
Sindhu then opened up about what she was actually ‘retiring’ from: her current sense of unrest. "Today, I choose to retire from this current sense of unrest. I retire from this negativity, the constant fear, uncertainty. I choose to retire from a complete lack of control over the unknown. Most importantly, I choose to retire from substandard hygiene standards and our lackadaisical attitude towards the virus," she added.
The 25-year-old asked people not to digress and be prepared in order to defeat the coronavirus. "The choices we make today will define our future and the future of the next generation. We cannot afford to let them down."
Admitting that she might have given her fans a "mini-heart attack," Sindhu stated that she did this to grab the attention of people in these unfrequented times. However, she also made it clear that she will be participating in the upcoming Asia Open.
"I may have given you guys a mini-heart attack; the unfrequented times require unprecedented measures. I guess, I need to get you guys to sit and take notice. That being said, we must be hopeful about the light shining at the end of the tunnel," the reigning world champion said.
"Yes, Denmark Open didn't happen but that won't stop me from training. When life comes at you, one must come back twice as hard. So will I for the Asia Open. I refuse to give up without putting a solid fight. I refuse to give up without conquering this fear. And will carry on doing so till we have a safer world," she added.
— Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) November 2, 2020