Abhisheka targets top spot in rankings

“I am looking forward to finishing this month on a high by finishing first in the rankings. This victory serves as a boost in my pursuit,” said Abhisheka. The Tamil Nadu lass defeated Gurlin Kaur in the final with a scoreline of 11-9 9-11 12-10 11-8. 

“It feels good. This is my first ISA Open title and my first on home soil,” added the 15-year-old, who got hooked to the sport at a tender age of six.   

As a result of her victory, the Chennai-based player snapped up 540 points from the four-star tournament. Her next assignment is at the NSCI in Mumbai and she will later gear up for the Asian Juniors here. Talking about her long-term goals, she said, “I am striving towards becoming a senior champion at the Asiad and the Commonwealth Games.”  

National coach Deepak Mishra was all praise for her as she had remained unwell in the recent past. “She was unseeded but she played extremely well to beat some of the top players. These are very good results personally for me,” asserted Deepak. 

“She needs to take good care of herself as it is very important. That is what I always stress on. She is young and I expect her to win the Asian Juniors and also be a part of the World Juniors,” he added. 

Asked if the standard of the Tamil Nadu players had lowered in recent years, the ISA academy coach said, “There is no dip in my opinion. We have a lot of juniors who are coming up the ranks. It will take time and in two to three years’ time, we will get to know their true potential.”