NEW DELHI: Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu on Friday wrote a touching tribute for Spanish badminton legend Carolina Marin. Marin announced her retirement from professional badminton on Thursday, saying she is still dealing with the aftereffects of the serious injury she sustained at Paris 2024. Marin won a gold medal at the Rio Olympics 2016 and is a three-time world champion.Sharing an emotional message for her long-time rival, Sindhu took to Instagram and wrote: “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.“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,’ Sindhu wrote.Sindhu also recalled a verbal duel between the two shuttlers during the 2023 Denmark Open semifinal, where the chair umpire showed both players a yellow card.“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,” she wrote.“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 concluded.Marin’s career was marked by serious knee injuries, forcing her to withdraw from the defence of her Olympic gold and her home World Championships in 2021.However, she made a remarkable comeback, reaching a fourth World Championships final and coming close to an Olympic final in 2024. Leading He Bing Jiao comfortably in their semifinal at Paris 2024, Marin collapsed in pain — a moment that proved to be her final appearance on the biggest stage.
