SHAH ALAM – India’s fairytale run continues in the ongoing 2024 Badminton Asia Championship (BATC) as the young team, led by their seasoned players, rose to the occasion by booking their berth in the tournament’s final.
The team, with an average squad age of 22.6 years old, created history by reaching the final, edging out Japan 3-2 in an intense semi-final match at the Setia City Convention Centre today.
Speaking to Scoop, Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand, the first women’s doubles pair to grace the court for their national team, attributed their victory to their seniors Ashwini Ponnappa and P.V. Sindhu for guiding them to success against their opponents.
The world number 23 pair triumphed over sixth-ranked pair, Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida, 21-17, 16-21, 22-20 in an intense 73-minute match.
“Ashwini and Sindhu ‘didi’ (an endearing term meaning sisters) have been of great help to me and my partner as they always educate and motivate us to improve our games. Because of them, they created a better environment, fostering unity within the team.
“Playing against our opponents is very hard as we have lost to them several times in the past.
“Defeating them for the first time really boosted our confidence and kept our team in the race for this match,” said Gayatri after her match.
Treesa echoed a similar sentiment by saying that she was delighted that her game plans with her partner finally paid off, ultimately leading them to get their revenge against their top-ranked opponents.
“I think we played consistently as we did before, but this time my partner and I were wiser, focusing a lot on their foot movements and returning our shots accordingly.
“We noticed that they struggled to get the shuttle, hence we kept making them chase it with our smashes.
“Overall, we had very few errors in the match, and I would say that we dominated the match as we wanted to take revenge for our defeat.
“We hope to maintain this strategy for the rest of the tournament,” said Treesa in a post-match interview.
Meanwhile, all eyes turned to India’s women’s singles player, Anmol Kharb, who made her mark on the world stage by securing the winning point for her team, defeating Natsuki Nidaira.
The world number 472 player, who won the India International Challenge in Chhattisgarh last year, caused an upset against her 29th-ranked opponent, 21-14, 21-18, in a 52-minute bout.
“It was a crucial match for me as it was the match that I had to win to bring my team to the final. And I’m glad that I won against a high-ranked player in my first attempt.
“Starting this year, I will be entering the international circuit, and playing in this tournament has given me so much valuable experience.
“I have no fear of playing in the final tomorrow as I already have the experience of defeating top-ranked players in this tournament.
“I love the fact that people are comparing me with the legendary Saina Nehwal as we both are from Haryana and we are both aggressive players.
“I’m ready to give my 100% for my country tomorrow,” said Anmol.
With India’s berth secured in the upcoming Uber Cup finals in China, scheduled from April 28 to May 5, the team is poised to square off against Thailand in tomorrow morning’s highly anticipated final showdown, following Thailand’s 3-1 victory over Indonesia. – February 17, 2024