Focusing on service and receives, says paddler Sathiyan

“Service and receives, we have been focusing on, that’s the area which is neglected quite a lot in Indian TT. That is the only stroke that is in your control. At the top-level I have realised that you don’t get to play your game at all if you don’t serve and receive well,” Sathiyan told reporters in Mumbai.

“That is a very boring part of sport, but I think the more boring thing you play, the better you get in the sport. That is why we started working on that and looking forward to adding aggression on my receives and not just try to put the ball into play,” he explained.

Sathiyan said compatriot Sharath Kamal also has a very good serve and third ball attack and most of the Indians have a very good rally game.

“In India, most of the players have a good game when actually the ball gets into play. With the Asians we have realised that it does not go to that extent at all if the serve or receive is not up to the mark,” he said.

Sathiyan, the first Indian to break into the top 25 of world rankings, also said he would be training in Korea and Germany.

“Heading to the Tokyo Olympics, I will be going to Korea. It would be the first kind of initiative and we have already spoken to the Korean Federation, I will be training with the Korean national team from December 22-30.

“It is the first time that an Indian player will train at the national centre of an Olympics medalist team, so I am looking forward to that. And after that, the Indian team will be training in Dusseldorf, Germany. Germany has already qualified (for the Olympics) and that is why we chose it,” he added.

He said if the Indian team makes it to the top nine in the Olympics qualifiers to be held in Portugal, then it could take part in the Olympics as a team.