Rio de Janeiro, Aug. 19: Always a man of few words who can keep his emotions under check, Pullela Gopichand today looked more excited than he normally is.

The coach knew P.V. Sindhu had a difficult task at hand but seemed confident that his favourite ward was capable of pulling off an upset. It did not happen in the end but Gopi, as he is popularly known, was satisfied.

The Telegraph tracked Gopichand during some of the crucial moments in the 83-minute women's singles Olympic final between Sindhu and the eventual champion, Carolina Marin.

FIRST GAME

A see-saw battle at the start and Carolina leads 4-3. The Sindhu smash goes the wrong way. Gopi remains silent at the start but later raises his right hand, asks Sindhu to calm down and shifts his attention to Carolina who is about to serve.

Carolina remains in the lead till halfway. Gopi is mostly silent - once he leans forward and whispers something. When the turn to change the end comes, he keeps on pumping up Sindhu. Fight, fight... don't let her walk away with it, she is definitely beatable.

Sindhu narrows the gap and brings the score to 8-12: Gopi is so excited that he stands up, something the coach rarely does during a match. He perhaps realises it and sits down almost immediately. He gestures with his hand, an imaginary smash -go for the kill.

Trailing by a point, Sindhu comes up with an amazing smash to make it 19-19: Gopi stands up and keeps on clapping - a very unusual response on his part. During the London Olympics, the standing joke was that India had a silent coach who rarely got up from his chair.

Sindhu clinches the game at 21-19. Gopi is back to his old self. He picks up his bag and calmly walks to the other end. In between, he exchanges a few words with Sindhu.

SECOND GAME

Sindhu trails 2-11. Gopi hardly moves. He is a mute spectator to the demolition. When the change of end comes, he walks slowly to the other end. Going by the mood of the Indians in the stands, the second game is virtually over.

Sindhu suddenly starts playing her shots. Carolina leads 16-8 but Sindhu is back in the match. Gopi gestures with his hand, asking her to cover the left. When Sindhu misses an easy shot, he raises both his hands and seeks to calm her down. It's vintage Gopichand: always ready to accept the mistake and pounce at the slightest opportunity to grab the next point.

At 20-12, Carolina plays a terrific drop shot to win the game. A faint smile plays on the lips of Gopi. I told you... don't give her room in the middle of the court. He shrugs and then pats his student on the back. Gives a few tips.

THIRD GAME

Sindhu trails. For the first time in the match, Gopi is visibly tense. He leans forward from the chair and goes back. He whispers something to Sindhu, looks at the physiotherapist sitting beside him and then concentrates on the game.

Carolina extends the lead to 6-1: Gopi is pensive. If he thinks the gold is slipping away, he is not showing it. But even when Sindhu plays a lightning smash to make it 4-7, there is not much reaction from Gopi.

Sindhu takes a series of points to make it 10-all from 5-9. The coach now shows signs of excitement and keeps advising Sindhu on technical matters through hand signals.

At the break, with Carolina leading 11-10, Gopi is in a hurry. He almost jogs through the court to Sindhu and has a hurried conversation. Carolina has returned to the court but Gopi is the last to leave with the chair umpire staring at him.

Carolina takes the 15-11 lead. Gopi is now a changed man. He is waiting for the inevitable. He claps slowly when Sindhu takes a point. He eggs her on to keep fighting - a typical attitude from his playing days.

Sindhu makes it 14-16. Gopi sits straight in the chair. He knows this is the turning point of the match.

Carolina takes the title at 21-15: A true sportsperson, Gopi gets up and breaks into a clap. He moves in and as Sindhu approaches, he hugs her warmly and pats her on the back. Well played my girl, you have made me proud.

Later, Gopi said: "I am proud of Sindhu for the way she played in the final and conducted herself on the court. Given the way she was playing, she will go a long way. After all, she is only 21."