We have a grood draw in World Championship: Sharath

While it would be a stretch to claim that the recent creditable performance of the Indian paddlers at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast has put badminton in its shade, it is beyond dispute that it has given some genuine cause for a surge in its popularity.

The trio of A Sharath Kamal, G Sathiyan and Anthony Amalraj that bagged gold in the men’s team event was felicitated here on Tuesday.

For the 35-year-old Sharath, it was time to put on his nostalgic hat. “Personally, the gold medal I won in 2006 in Melbourne will be closer to my heart. This time around, we were under a lot of pressure. In the 2014 games at Glasgow, we returned home with only a silver. But the moment the women’s team won the gold, it gave us the belief to do well. We had a tough semi-final draw against Singapore and once we got past that stage, I was relieved. In the final against Nigeria, we defeated them 3-0,” reminisced the ace paddler.

According to Sharath, the commendable performance in the CWG will do wonders to their confidence ahead of the World Championships beginning in Sweden on April 29. “We have a good draw in the World Championships where we have been paired with France, Korea, Austria, Croatia and Poland. After our showing in the CWG, we are hopeful of winning a medal. After that we will be focused on the Asian Games in Jakarta,” added Sharath.

The 25-year-old Sathiyan hoped that more youngsters will start taking up this sport and he was quick to point out that India won more medals in table tennis compared to badminton. “Winning three medals in my first Commonwealth Games is a dream come true moment for me. We had a balanced team in this edition and I had the experience of doing well in many international events. That exposure helped me a lot. I’m glad that I could break into the top-50 in the singles rankings. Playing with a seasoned campaigner like Sharath calmed my nerves as he absorbed all the pressure,” said Sathiyan.

Sathiyan credited the recent upturn in form to the Ultimate Table Tennis League launched a year ago. “This year we will get two top-ranked players in the league. 

Rubbing shoulders with those established names will definitely help us evolve. Also, playing in Europe has helped us grow,” remarked Sathiyan, who has played in the German league.