New Delhi: PV Sindhu, the very first Indian badminton player to have won the BWF World Championships, returned to New Delhi to a rousing welcome by fans, authorities and mediapersons on late night, Monday. Speaking to Media after her arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Sindhu said that she is “really very proud to be an Indian”.

Amid cheers from fans at the airport, Sindhu said, “(It is) a great moment for me. I am really very proud to be an Indian.” She also added that she wants to win many more medals for the country. “I would like to thank all my fans. It is because of their blessings and love that I am here today,” said the badminton player.

Sindhu defeated her Japanese opponent and world number three Nozomi Okuhara in the finals of the women's singles event at the BWF World Championships. She performed her best as did not give any chance to her rival throughout the match to seal a comfortable 21-7, 21-7 win in a much-anticipated final clash that lasted just 38 minutes.

It was Sindhu's fifth title at the tournament, thus making her the joint highest in women's singles in the history of the BWF World Championships along with two-time Olympic gold medallist Xhang Ning of China. Sindhu won a bronze each in the 2013 and 2014 editions of the tournament before clinching two back-to-back silvers in previous two editions. 

The victory also saw Sindhu extend her lead over Okuhara to 9-7 in head-to-head series. Sindhu's gold was also the second medal that India has won at the 2019 BWF World Championships after B Sai Praneeth, who settled for a bronze medal in the men's singles event of the tournament on Saturday.