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Vol. 1. No. 3
GUTS
Website on Badminton
A Window into Indian Badminton December 2007
For Private Circulation Only
With her title win at the season-opening All India tournament at Bangalore, Aditi Mutatkar has shown she is back from
THE EDGE Aditi Mutatkar has always had it the hard way. Not blessed with the strokeful variety of Trupti Murgunde or the raw strength of Saina Nehwal, Aditi has had to build a game that is based not so much on skill, but on her never-say-die spirit. Never was this spirit called into action as during 2004, when she suffered an ACL rupture. Having taken five months to recuperate, she continued to plug away and that resolve has paid off. Aditi talks to Dev S Sukumar of GUTS about the journey: You had a good match against Kumiko Yonekura at the Scottish Open… I went to London in October to train with Tom John for two months. I played the played Bitburger, Dutch and the Hungarian opens… I played well at the Scottish. I beat Jill Pittard in the first match, and lost to Kumiko Yonekura in the pre-quarters. That’s one of my best matches. Because Yonekura is good – she returns everything. I had to hit at least four winning strokes in a rally for one point. Your best strokes come back. I had to tell myself – you have to work harder for your point. Tom Sir was there to push me. The good thing was, I’d worked very hard. I had hard sessions with him. I did things I’d never done before, I played at an intensity during practice – it was so high. Sometimes I just couldn’t take it. He kept pushing me.
becomes easy, you’re not scared of anything. You’re not scared of getting tired, you’re not scared you’ll fall down… because you’ve gone through it. Was that a revelation for you – that you could last? Yeah, it was. I mean, I have trained hard, but the difference with Tom Sir is, he pushes you to think. He’ll ask you why you’re doing this, what your weak points are, and that changes everything. He forces you to be independent. Right from the first day, I had to travel by myself. When I first encountered that I was taken aback, but he’s like, you have to do it alone. But when I look back, I’m very happy with the way I conducted myself, the way I was disciplined, and how independent I became. (Contd. on page 3)
Aditi’s 2007 Semifinalist: India International Challenge (Dec) Pre-quarters: Scottish International (Nov) Quarters: Hungarian International (Nov) Qualifier: Dutch Open (Oct) Pre-quarters: Bitburger Open (Oct) Qualifier: Thailand Open (Jul) 1/32: Asian Continental (Apr)
What was your training like? We had six to seven games a day in a session. I was training at Brunel University at Uxbridge. Tom Sir has a lot of junior guys training with him, and I was the only girl. I could beat them, but I had to play really well. We also had shadow training and bike sprints – in which, on a stationary bike, you do level 10, you’ve to get the rpm up to 120-125, you maintain it for one minute, then you rest and go back to level 2, 30-35 seconds, then again level 10, 120 rpm. He made us do 15-20 sets – and I was dead, I’d never done anything like that in my life. When you train Tom Sir will stand next to you and keep pushing you. You’ll get irritated, because he’ll keep telling in your ears ‘go faster, do this, do that’... even if you’re dead he’ll keep pushing you. And I didn’t know if I could survive. But I did. I was with him for one and a half months, and I didn’t take one day off. That gave me a lot of confidence, that I could do world class training and survive. When you train like that, anything
1/32: Swiss Open (Mar) Qualifier: German Open (Mar)
INSIDE 2
Editorial VIMAL: Grooming a champion ANUP: Two continents, one match
3
ADITI: Getting tough
4
ADITYA: Indonesian experience
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GUTS - A Window into Indian Badminton
Editorial... The New Year is upon us. The last year was a good one for Indian badminton; things look even more promising in 2008. The performance of Anup Sridhar and Arvind Bhat on the international circuit have been heart-warming. Then there were some engrossing matches on the domestic circuit, such as the ones between Kashyap and Anand Pawar, or Trupti Murgunde and Aditi Mutatkar, that will be remembered for a while. Let us also acknowledge JBS Vidyadhar’s remarkable performance in the singles. The lad from Andhra showed us a side to his game that no one imagined – as a doubles specialist who beat some of the best singles players, Vidyadhar serves as a reminder that one need not conform to a particular ‘image’, either as a singles or a doubles player. The Senior Nationals at Panjim throws up interesting questions. Anup and Saina look the favourites, but can the others upstage them? Will we have a new champion this year? And what is the direction Indian badminton will take in 2008? We at GUTS will continue to bring you in touch with the game. badmintonmania@gmail.com
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December 2007
Postcard from Europe
Two continents , one match Being an international player makes demands not just on your game, but on your patience and spirits as well. Consider Anup Sridhar’s weekend in early December that saw him cross continents for one game – he flew to Denmark for one club match, and flew right back for the All India Major Ranking tournament at Pune that began on December 14. Sridhar talks about that crazy weekend: I had a match on Tuesday (Dec 4), and it was a crucial match, because our club Vendsyssel Elite Badminton (VEB) is sixth out of eight teams in the Elite division and a loss would have relegated us to the first division. The week turned out to be crazy. I flew Sunday (Dec 2) early morning from Bangalore by Lufthansa, but it was late and I missed the connecting flight from Frankfurt to Copenhagen. I caught another flight and landed Sunday afternoon. I called the Canadian player Bobby Milroy and he invited me to stay with him in Copenhagen. Next morning I got my insole done for my heel problem and had to fly to Aarlborg; the event was an hour’s drive from the airport. That flight got cancelled, so I took another, and in the process, lost my kit and bags! I was due for the match on Tuesday, and I didn’t even have my kit. Fortunately, the club matches in Denmark begin at 6.30 in the evening, and my manager’s wife drove down to the airport later and picked it up. I was feeling sleepy by 6.30 and I was to play the first match. I played Martin Bille Larsen, who is two rungs below Gade. He’s taller than me, and has a harder hit. I won in straight games, 22-20 in the second. I finished that match late on Tuesday, and so stayed with my teammate in Aarlborg. On Wednesday morning I left for Copenhagen, and from there on to Bangalore. The most irritating thing about all this travelling is getting up early for the flight. But I guess as an international player you have to get used to it. My club pays me quite well and I want to maintain the relationship. I’m contractually bound to play at least four matches, and so I didn’t want to miss this particular match. It’s a different feeling, playing in a team game. Millions of kroners ride on every match and the pressure is intense. I’m used to the jet lag; I don’t like the Danish weather, but it doesn’t bother me much. Anup’s New Year resolution: “To have more fun off-court, enjoy life more. Become a bit more social. Finish my Diploma in Business Management. This year is my last chance. It’s a one year course, and I had registered three years ago!”
Grooming a champion-2
In the last issue, we talked about getting the child into activities like swimming, athletics and gymnastics. By the time he/she is eight or nine years old, you could conduct an aptitude test (with the help of a good coach) to find out what sport he/she is good at. I’m all for the child getting up early, for which he has to go to bed early. It’s essential to wake him up early and not feel sorry about disturbing his sleep. This is a series in which former national coach VIMAL KUMAR will help parents prepare their children for competitive sport
Winners of November quiz: 1. Megha Merin Ninan 2. Melvin Minoy 3. 9947055570 4. Anna Dennis Prizes sponsored by
ADITI READS GUTS. DO YOU?
December 2007
GUTS - A Window into Indian Badminton
Page 3
(Contd. from page 1)
Aditi Mutatkar... All those things helped me. The way I played against Yonekura…. I mostly retrieve the shuttle, but against her I was getting points on my own strokes. I was playing the kind of badminton I should play, more attacking… I’m not a smash-dribble player, never will be one, but at least I should try to dominate the rally. Play good tosses, go back and cut the shuttle, come up and dribble… that kind of game. Julia Mann was there, and told me: ‘That was world class’. Things like that, and you start realising that you are there, it’s not a big difference. She invited me to her academy in Paris. Overall I really started believing more in myself. You had this ACL injury in 2004… I was training for the world juniors when it happened, and the doctor said I had to take a year off. But I wasn’t really scared. I didn’t question myself. I told myself – okay, I’m injured, if I want I can sulk – ‘why’s this happening to me’… but it’s a game, things happen, and I went with the flow. To begin with, I had to choose a doctor. Everyone suggested the big doctors, but I didn’t want someone who was busy. I wanted someone who I could call 24x7. I went to Dr Sundaresh at Ramaiah Hospital. As soon as I spoke to him I knew he’d be the one to do my operation. I got my surgery done, after that it was rehab. For two weeks I was with the physio, but then it’s all up to you… the rehab lasts eight months, but I was back in five because I wanted badly to get back. That five-six months helped me a lot – made me mentally strong, and how important it is to take good care of yourself, how important strengthening is. The good thing was I never got sympathy for falling down. I hate sympathy, because it doesn’t help. For me, it’s more important that people come and tell me what to do and get on with it.
You talked about being in the zone. Is it an elusive thing? Is it more frequent now than earlier? Of course… but it doesn’t come all the time. One week it might be with you, but the next you might not feel that good. Now, I’ve become much more stable, I can play at the same level for a longer time.
But you didn’t have any questions in your mind?
It it because you’re fitter now, physically?
No, I was sure I was coming back. I thought – if it had to happen to me, then there had to be a reason.
It’s physical, and even mentally I’m tougher now, I’m tougher on myself, because I want to be the best. So I’ll keep trying to do that.
Has the injury played an important role in who you are now? Yeah. As a human being, more than on court. It brought me down to earth, it showed anything can happen any time, so don’t take anything for granted. You’ve got to be very humble, do your work and get out, do your work and get out. Things like that. It made me mentally stronger. So… I’ve had tough times, but I have overcome them, and I’m happy with the way I’ve overcome them. In India you’re by yourself. I don’t come from a sporting family, so I had to take the decisions. And I’ve done most things on my own. What you do is all on instinct. They’re a lot of risks, but I don’t mind taking them. I don’t question myself too much. If you work hard, there’s no question it’s not going to help. If you start questioning your own hard work, then it’s tough, right? You can’t achieve anything. So you have to keep doing your thing and believe in it. I just believed I’d get back….
Physically I’ve always worked hard, so I’ve never had a question mark on my physical ability. The problem was some technical fault, with the game… stroke selection… or mental part, losing focus while leading, or giving away a point. I’ve become more stable. Last season I won three tournaments. I’ve always been in my comfort zone… The only match when I pushed myself was against Yonekura, when I was really out of breath, really dead, but still was pushing to get one more point. Then I realised how hard it is to be somewhere in the world. When you work hard and win a match, the kind of happiness you get is… just out of this world. And I’m still waiting for it. I mean, I haven’t got that kind of happiness yet – because I’ve played well always, but I’ve still not got that one win – you know? I’m still waiting for it. I’m going there, but not converting it. Once I start converting these good matches, then everything will fall into place, hopefully. Because I’m hoping to do something at the international level.
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GUTS - A Window into Indian Badminton
Prakash, Indonesia How was your experience in Indonesia? I was at Surya Naga club in Surabaya. The club doesn’t have good singles players, but the doubles players are very good. The players were between 16 and 20 years old, between A and B level. It was good exposure for me because they play differently; their pace is very high. The shuttles travel fast, and they hit hard and rush forward. In the beginning it was difficult for me to adjust to that pace; but you adjust once you play them daily. And the training? Morning 10 to 12, evening 4 to 7. Not very different from the academy; mainly on-court practice. It was tournament season, so they concentrated on on-court training. Mostly stroke practice, multi-feed. The only difference was, they concentrated on pace.
December 2007 Thirty years after Prakash Padukone’s Indonesia camp that proved so crucial to his career, his trainee Aditya Prakash attended a month-long camp (October-November) in Surabaya. Aditya talks to GUTS about his experience: Don’t you want to continue at the same pace when you’re leading? Yes, sometimes you can. But if you start giving negative points, or if the other player can read your game, he’ll make changes. I played only attacking till 11-5, then Nandaluri changed his game. He also started attacking, started keeping it low. So I slowed the pace, got my length right, and hit when I got opportunity.
Did the intensity change? It increased over time. In the beginning they give you 60 per cent of the load, then they increase it to 80 per cent for one week, and observe your stamina and movement. As the tournament comes close, they make it 100 per cent. I remember I played two players the first day, and both matches went to three sets. When I played them again in the last week, I had it easy. I played 10-12 players, lost only to two. I learnt to be steady, to increase my pace. Earlier I used to play fast in the first set and would get tired. At Surya Naga, I played fast players, so I got used to that pace. But how can you maintain that training here? It’s mainly in the mind. It’s mostly the same kind of training. Maybe I should do more weight training for the legs. Did your training help you win the Pune tournament? Yes. I played Abhimanyu Singh in the semis and lost the first set 19-21. In the second I increased my pace, I won at 15. At the beginning of the third set, I kept the same pace till the break at 11-4. Then I got confident, and I decided to take every alternate point, so I wasn’t under pressure. I slowed down a little, and concentrated on length, and not making negatives, just played safe. When you play like that the opponent becomes tense… it worked. This year I played Abhimanyu three times and lost the first two matches. At the camp, Hadi Sugianto (former India doubles coach) told me, just remember to play fast from the beginning. That helped in the semis. And the final, against Arun Nandaluri? The first set was close, I won at 17. In the second set I used the same strategy as in the semis. I played fast till the break – I would hit down, keep at the net, dribble, and get him to lift. In the second set, with a 11-5 lead, I changed my strategy, started slowing down the pace. Editor: Dev S. Sukumar. Printed & Published by Dev Sukumar and Thomas J. Kunnath. P4, KSSIDC Industrial Area, Mahadevapura, Bangalore - 560 048. Printed at National Printing Press, Koramangala, Bangalore-560 095. Email: thomas@kunnath.in