Sindhu will have to forget the semifinal loss and make fresh start on Sunday, says father Ramana

PV Sindhu will have to quickly recover from her painful loss against world no 1 Tai Tzu Ying and make a fresh start when she faces China's He Bing Jiao in the bronze medal play-off at the Tokyo Olympics, said her father PV Ramana on Saturday.

Sindhu, the reigning world champion, couldn't secure India's first-ever Olympic gold in badminton as she slumped to a straight-game defeat against Tai Tzu in the women's singles semifinals in Tokyo.

One of the most consistent players, who has claimed medals in all big-ticket events in the last five years, Sindhu, a silver medallist at Rio, will now face Bing Jiao in the third-place playoff on Sunday.

''Tomorrow, we have to be more cautious and more careful and give her best to get a medal for the country,'' Ramana, who is a member of India's 1986 Asian Games volleyball team that won the bronze medal, told reporters.

''She should forget the defeat though it is painful for any player to play for third and fourth position, and take Sunday's contest as a fresh match.'' Ramana, an Arjuna awardee, said Tai Tzu didn't give any chance to Sindhu during the semifinal clash.

''When a player cannot come into the rhythm, obviously, these all happen. Yesterday, she (Sindhu) was in a good rhythm. She was able to come back to the normal game and she could catch (Akane) Yamaguchi. Today, Tai Tzu has not given her any chance at all,'' he said.

''Tai Tzu's every drop shot, everything has gone into success. Actually, the strategy to play against Tai Tzu is we need to keep the shuttle in a rally at least 25 to 30 shots. So, that chance was not there today.'' Congratulating Tai Tzu for the way she played, Ramana said: ''Tai Tzu was in full command of the match. She was also eager to win a medal in the Olympics or in the World Championships which she could not do all these years though she has been number one on several occasions.''