Ajay Jayaram is now training at the Goregaon Sports Club here in preparation for the Total BWF World badminton Championships in Glasgow next week.
The World No. 17 spoke to The Hindu on Sunday about the state of Indian badminton. Excerpts.
Four Indians figure in a World Championships men’s singles draw. How did it happen?
It’s no surprise. Over the past few years, the Indian presence in the men’s singles has been growing steadily. Initially, women players got the limelight due to Saina Nehwal and P.V. Sindhu winning titles. Now Srikanth, Prannoy, Sai Praneeth and I are doing pretty well on the world stage.
A huge Indian team, men and women, will be at the Worlds this time...
Indian badminton is a force to reckon with. We cannot be taken lightly any more.
Seven players figuring in men’s top-50 is the highest for any nation — ahead of even China. Only four qualify, and that’s why Prannoy, Kashyap and Sourabh Verma are not in the main draw.
What did it take to make the top-20?
I have been training for the longest time with Tom John in Portugal (national coach there), and when he moved to Bengaluru, I joined him there. I was earlier with the Prakash Padukone Academy.
From 2010 onwards, I started working with John, and found a lot of changes in my game, I became much more aggressive. I am continuing with the same sort of training regimen.
For me to reach this level has not been easy. Initially there were injuries and other roadblocks.
Looking back, I am happy to have made it to the men’s top-15 (his career best ranking is 13).
There is still some distance to go.
How do you expect to do in Glasgow?
This season — the successes in the PBL and at the Malaysian Open notwithstanding — I’ve faced injury issues in the back of my knee which affected my training a bit. I am hoping my fortunes will change at the Worlds.
Any specifics you are working on?
I need to be more patient. I tend to be hasty when it comes to winning rallies. The moment someone retrieves I struggle a bit. I am trying to work on that aspect.
I am getting my fitness back, and will take it one round at a time.
