India Open Badminton: Sindhu, Ratchanok, Marin, Tai Tzu-Ying, Okuhara – The Unbreakable Bond of Shuttle’s Golden Generation
Scroll down to PV Sindhu’s Instagram page to December 2018, and you’ll find a post captioned: “Wang Yihan, long time no see, finally I get to see her!”—accompanied by a generous dose of emojis. Also tagged in the post is Ratchanok ‘May’ Intanon, with a hashtag that reads: #FriendsForLife.
In a BWF Unlimited video from 2023, shuttlers were asked about their closest friends on tour, and Intanon’s response was PV Sindhu.
Born just five months apart in 1995, the two 29-year-olds made their mark on the senior badminton circuit as teenagers in 2013—Intanon creating history for Thailand by becoming World Champion at 18, while Sindhu secured her first of five World Championship medals with a bronze. As 2025 begins, their journey continues.
“I had planned to visit Sindhu for her wedding,” Intanon told The Indian Express at the India Open on Thursday. “But in the end, it was difficult to travel for just a day or two. I had even booked my flight, but I didn’t have anyone to accompany me. I still congratulated her. Throughout our careers, we have always supported each other. Sometimes, we exchange direct messages saying, ‘We have to fight, we have to keep going.’ And here we are, still competing.”
Friends and Rivals: The Bond That Defines a Golden Generation
At the start of the season, when Ratchanok Intanon made an impressive run to the semifinals in Malaysia, PV Sindhu sent her an encouraging message on social media: “Let’s go, May!” Intanon replied with a lighthearted yet telling response: “We have to earn more and more, haha! Thank you for listening and sharing this life with me, it’s a really hard life.”
In this era of women’s singles badminton, friendships off the court have been just as defining as the rivalries on it. At the India Open, after facing off in the opening round, Intanon and Nozomi Okuhara reflected on their shared journey, cherishing the camaraderie of this golden generation.
Sindhu and Carolina Marin, for instance, have had some of the fiercest battles, yet their connection extends beyond competition. Their embrace after the 2016 Olympic final remains one of badminton’s most iconic moments. When Marin suffered another heartbreaking injury in Paris while on the verge of reaching a final, Sindhu penned a heartfelt message to one of her “greatest rivals and dearest friends.”
“Deep down, I believe there was no player on tour I hated playing against more than you. Your sheer determination and uncanny ability to put players under pressure are unmatched. Knowing you and your willpower, it’s only a matter of time, buddy! Just know I will always be your biggest supporter.”
Marin responded with gratitude, even advising Sindhu to take a break and recover well.
Tai Tzu-Ying, too, has shared a poignant moment with Sindhu. After defeating Sindhu in the Tokyo Olympics semifinal, Tai fell short of winning gold. Later, she recalled a touching exchange.
“Sindhu ran over to hug me, held my face, and told me: ‘I know you are uncomfortable, but you played very well. Today is not your game.’ That kind of sincere encouragement made me cry instantly. Then she held me in her arms and said she understood exactly how it felt.”
Sindhu, of course, had experienced the same heartbreak in Rio, losing to Marin in the final.
This golden generation of shuttlers has not only redefined women’s singles badminton but has also shown that even the fiercest competitors can share a deep, enduring bond.
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