Talk of Indian badminton and the names of Saina Nehwal and P. V. Sindhu come to mind. Ever wondered who is next on the list?
Even an ardent lover of Indian badminton can’t be faulted for not getting it right. Such is the gulf between the country’s two best players and the rest.
This subject is discussed mostly when India plays a women’s team competition like the Uber Cup. India’s bronze medals in the Uber Cup in 2014 and 2016 drew entirely on the strength of Saina, Sindhu and the effective pair of G. Jwala and Ashwini Ponnappa. Even before the first shuttle was tossed in a tie, India expected nothing from the third singles and the second doubles.
But in recent times, the rise of 16-year-old Vaishnavi Reddy has raised hopes of India finding its next world-class singles player.
After Sindhu and Saina, Vaishnavi is the strongest Indian in the world rankings (No. 53). Fourth in the world junior rankings, she is the only Indian female qualifier in the upcoming Youth Olympic Games. In July, she will join Sindhu and Saina in the 32-player Indonesian Open, one of the elite events of the season.
Against the tide
What makes Vaishnavi’s rise so fascinating is that her success has been earned by swimming against the tide. Following a disillusioning experience at the Gopi Chand Academy three years ago, her father Vinod Reddy decided to move base to Bangkok.
“The kind of attention a child [Vaishnavi] deserved for being India No. 1 in under-13 and again in under-15, both in singles and doubles, was not given,” says a pained Vinod, “I thought this was not the right place for Vaishnavi.”
But why move to Bangkok?
“The year before I left India, I saw Thailand’s Phittayaporn Chaiwan [in the junior Asian Badminton Championship] who was the top-ranked girl in every age-group… even now she holds the No. 1 rank among junior girls,” says Vinod.
“I was very impressed with the way she played and conducted herself in the arena. I also met the daughter of the owner of the Banthongyord Badminton School, where Chaiwan trained. Later, I learnt that Ratchanok Intanon [former world champion, currently No. 4] also trained there.
“I thought Vaishnavi could go there for short stints. Also, it’s just a three-hour flight from India. So when I decided to leave Gopi’s academy, Bangkok was an obvious choice,” he reveals.
The decision proved a blessing for Vaishnavi. Adapting admirably to the new surroundings, the teenager stayed focused and won 15 international medals (mostly in the junior section), seven of them gold, in 2017-2018.
Recently, a place in the Uber Cup squad came on the rebound for Vaishnavi after Sindhu chose to stay away. Like Saina, Vaishnavi also returned with a one-win-two-loss record from the event.
However, walking out of the Gopi Chand Academy has strained the relationship with those who run badminton in the country. She is seen in some sections as a ‘rebel’.
But Vaishnavi has her admirers as well. National selector and four-time National champion Manjusha Kanwar foresees a bright future.
“The fact that she handles the work-load from foreign coaches, who are mostly tough taskmasters, shows that she works extremely hard,” says Manjusha. “She has good height and [a good] wrist. She has all the basic attributes that go into making a strong player. She hits hard and retrieves well. No doubt, given her age, she is likely to lose more than she wins in the seniors. But Vaishnavi surely has what it takes.”
Chief National junior coach Sanjay Mishra is impressed with what he saw in the Dutch Open, “Without doubt, Vaishnavi has the game to be the next big name from India in singles. She has the height and the range of strokes. Strength will be built with time and age. Vaishnavi can be expected to serve the country for long.”
