PV Sindhu pays heartfelt tribute as Carolina Marin retires: A complete pain on court
PV Sindhu paid an emotional tribute to longtime rival Carolina Marin after the Spaniard announced her retirement due to a persistent knee injury, calling her 'a complete pain on court' but praising the deep respect they shared.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu penned a heartfelt note for Carolina Marin, who announced her retirement from badminton on Thursday. In a video message shared on social media, titled “My journey ends here,” Marin said a persistent knee injury had forced her to step away from the sport and prioritise her long-term health over one final appearance on court.
Sindhu said Marin would always remain a special rival in her journey, recalling their fierce battles, on-court intensity and even heated moments. She admitted Marin was “a complete pain on court”, but said their rivalry was always underpinned by deep mutual respect.
“Some rivals become part of your journey forever. Carolina was one of them. We first played each other when we were 15 or 16-year-old girls in the Maldives, and from then on we went on to share so many battles,” Sindhu wrote in a note on Instagram.
“To be honest, you were also a complete pain on court. The constant shouting, the intensity, the little tricks, they would get to anyone. But your skill, speed and fighting spirit were second to none. People remember the big matches and even the ugly spat we had in that third set over picking the shuttle. I’ll admit I was completely infuriated that day.
“But a few months later we sat across from each other over coffee in Madrid, talking and laughing, and in that moment there was nothing but respect. That’s the Carolina I’ll always remember,” Sindhu wrote.
'BADMINTON WILL MISS YOU'
Sindhu and Marin faced each other 18 times, with the Spaniard holding a 12-6 head-to-head lead. The two also met in the women’s singles gold-medal match at the Rio Olympics in 2016, where Marin came from behind to win 19-21, 21-12, 21-15.
Sindhu also said she would always be grateful for the camaraderie shared by their generation, adding that their batch made women’s singles a truly special space to compete in.
“I’ll also always be grateful for the incredible camaraderie our generation built. Our batch of girls made women’s singles such a special place to compete in, and I honestly don’t know if badminton has seen something like it before or will again.”
“Thank you for every battle, every lesson and most of all the friendship. I wish you the happiest retirement, Carolina. Badminton will miss you. And so will I,” Sindhu added.
CAROLINA MARIN’S IMPRESSIVE CAREER
The upcoming European Championships in Huelva, scheduled for next month, was expected to be Marin’s farewell on home soil. However, the Spaniard said she was disappointed not to end her career the way she had hoped, while acknowledging that things do not always go according to plan.
Marin bows out as one of the greatest players in women’s singles history, having won three world titles (2014, 2015 and 2018), seven European crowns and Olympic gold at Rio 2016. Her final competitive appearance came at the Paris 2024 Olympics, capping a remarkable comeback after suffering two anterior cruciate ligament tears in 2019 and 2021.
Tributes poured in soon after her announcement, with the badminton fraternity rallying around the Spaniard. Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen, India’s Chirag Shetty and several others were among those who responded to her farewell video with heartfelt messages.