Paddler Sathiyan not resting on laurels

Chennai paddler G Sathiyan embraces challenges and the bigger the challenge, the greater would be his resolve to establish his dominance, leaving no one in doubt about his innate artistry and his inherent ability to thrive under intense duress. 

The 24-year-old breezed through the Spanish Open in Almeria, recently, pummelling his opponents into undisputed submission as he ascended the throne of eminence on the back of some superlative performances. 

“My confidence levels were high and that reflected in how I played throughout the tournament. I peaked at the right time and I could see for myself how much I improved with each passing match. The final was one of the most memorable matches I ever played as I overcame a tricky opponent in Kazuhiro Yoshimura of Japan. He ousted the number one seed in the quarterfinals and exuded great consistency all through. It was a satisfying triumph,” recalled Sathiyan.

Crossing a giantkiller of a hurdle in the final was not the only cause of him residing in his abode of bliss as his nerves of steel were put to best use in getting him fit for the all-important clash. “My right shoulder was swollen during the semi-final. There was nothing serious but I still had to take painkillers and played through the pain. I have to thank my medical team for getting it completely taped and taking good care of it by applying massage,” added Sathiyan. 

At every step of his title-winning journey, Sathiyan had to dig deep into his vast repository of problem-solving capacity and he invariably found a way past the seemingly insurmountable odds. “The toughest match I had was in the quarterfinal where I beat third seed Noshad Alamiyan of Iran. I lost both the times I played against him before that match. He is arguably the best server in the world and him being a left-hander, I had to come up with a different strategy. I didn’t make a good start as I lost the first game but I recovered quickly and targeted his weak forehand and made him commit many unforced errors. That was a breakthrough win for me,” reminisced Sathiyan. 

While most people struggle riding two horses at once and blame it on their limited attention span or some other deficiency, Sathiyan has aced this test as well in his own inimitable style, and has recently won two back-to-back bronze medals in the doubles category partnering threetime Olympian Achanta Sharath Kamal. “We understand and complement each other’s style well. He (Sharath) is an easy partner to play with. He encourages me a lot even when I make some mistakes and is an approachable person. We are aiming to win gold at next year’s Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast and for that we need to do well in team events, of which doubles is an intrinsic part,” remarked Sathiyan. 

A packed schedule awaits him as he gears up to embark on a twoweek training camp to South Korea in preparation for the CWG and that will be followed by the national championship and Hungary Open in January. He may have his hands full, but that will not stop Sathiyan from stepping up to the plate and bossing the table.