Sindhu pays tribute to Marin: ‘You were such a pain on the court’

New Delhi: Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu A touching tribute was written for the Spanish on Friday badminton The legendary Carolina Marin. Marin announced her retirement from professional badminton on Thursday, saying she was still dealing with the aftermath of a serious injury suffered at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Marin won a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and is a three-time world champion.Sindhu shared an emotional message to her long-time rival on Instagram and wrote, “Some rivals will always be a part of your journey. Carolina is one of them. We first fought against each other in the Maldives when we were 15 or 16-year-old girls and we have continued to share many fights since then.“To be honest, you were a complete pain on the pitch too. Constant shouting, intensity, little moves, they would have taken a toll on anyone. But your technique, pace and fighting spirit were second to none,” Sindhu wrote.Sindhu also recalled an altercation between two badminton players during the 2023 Denmark Open semi-finals, in which the referee showed yellow cards to both players.“People remember those big games and even the ugly altercation we had in the third set over ball selection. I admit I was totally pissed off that day.“But a few months later we met face to face for coffee in Madrid, talking and laughing, and there was nothing but respect in that moment. This is the Carolina I will always remember,” she wrote.“I will also be forever grateful for the incredible camaraderie that was built throughout our generation. Our group of girls made women’s singles such a special place to compete and I honestly don’t know if badminton has ever or will ever see anything like that again.“Thank you for every fight, every lesson, and most importantly, your friendship. I wish you a happy retirement, Carolina.” Badminton will miss you. So will I,” Sindhu concluded.Marin’s career was marked by a serious knee injury that forced her to withdraw from her defense of Olympic gold and the 2021 world championships on her home soil.However, she came back to reach her fourth World Championship final and is close to reaching the 2024 Olympic final. Marin had a comfortable lead over He Bingjiao in the Paris 2024 semifinals, but she collapsed in agony – in what would prove to be her last appearance on the biggest stage.