Saina Nehwal had moved to Bangalore in 2014. (Source: PTI)
The world might’ve been caught napping trying to process Saina Nehwal’s decision to return to Hyderabad and resume training at the Gopichand Badminton Academy. But this was the most logical move as the 27-year-old shuttler progresses in her career.
The World Championship bronze medallist couldn’t have timed it better — having superceded expectations to return with a second medal from the Worlds after a silver in 2015, a year since a career-threatening knee injury.
With the bronze as a stepping stone, Nehwal is looking forward to taking the next step in her rejuvenated career – with fitness and movement being her immediate priorities in traversing the all-important last-mile of peak form.
“First thing is to get more fitter as I feel I have reached a good stage of fitness after my knee surgery, but I have to improve a little bit more,” she told The Indian Express on Monday. “Second is to make the movements more smoother as Gopi sir feels my movements have become heavy after the surgery,” she added.
Nehwal also sounded ready to give a fresh shot to Hyderabad — where she first picked the sport. Much has changed at the Gopichand academy since it was a one star-athlete centre, with Indonesian Mulyo Handoyo and Gopichand turning out a well-oiled conveyor belt of champions. “Third thing is it will be a different atmosphere and the training will be different in Hyderabad so I’m looking forward to that,” Nehwal said.
Living almost a reclusive life at the prim Prakash Padukone academy with nothing but the sport as her focus, and shutting herself off from the world for three years, Nehwal had negotiated the mid-stage of her career, reaching World No.1 and making the finals of the All England and Worlds alongside three Super Series titles.
Now, it was time for the monk to head back from the self-imposed solitude, and return home to a slightly easier environ with family and friends closer to her training base.
It helped that coach Handoyo had laid out a meticulous system for the country’s elite shuttlers, which holds potential for the Indian World No 12 to try a fresher approach, even while first coach Pullela Gopichand can chip in with the broad contours of how she goes forward with an eye on the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Nehwal had taken the initiative to break the ice with Gopichand on the two giddy days when India ensured two women on the World Championships podium, and with the coach responding positively, had suggested that she was ready to move back and resume training in Hyderabad.
“For a while I’ve been thinking about moving my training base back to the Gopichand academy and I had a discussion about this with Gopi sir and I am really thankful to him for agreeing to help me again . At this stage in my career I think he can help me achieve my goals,” she tweeted on Monday.
Even during her rehab and on her frequent trips to Hyderabad over the last year, Nehwal would drop in at the academy for treatment from physio C Kiran. Also, the awkwardness of three years ago when she had dashed to Bangalore seeking personalised attention in training from the earnest U Vimal Kumar at the Padukone Academy, with Gopichand’s deliberation spreading thin and split between tending to several simultaneously rising careers, had considerably lessened.
Back in 2014, the frostiness with both coach and the other succesful ward PV Sindhu had seemed unsurmountable but now there seems to be a distinct thaw. Nehwal and Gopichand have maintained a basic decorum, with reasons for the split never discussed in the open, given Nehwal was the coach’s first success story. Now, the time was right to return to the system.
Close friends’ circle
Nehwal has a very small set of close friends from childhood – academy-mates whom she started out with – like P Kashyap, Guru Sai Dutt and Sai Praneeth amongst others, all training at Gachibowli. And while she was monkish in her training in Bangalore – compelling one of her parents to relocate as well while being away from the other – the loneliness had begun to gnaw at her.
Vimal Kumar had diligently added several facets to Nehwal’s game in the last three years. He was gentler in his handling of her in the initial days when she was in a new city. Gradually, the new coach would push her to several highs — beating Yihan Wang, breaking the rut of successive quarters at Worlds, a shy at the All England title and the patient return from the surgery after her Rio heartbreak, ending in the bronze in Glasgow.
“I’m also very thankful to Vimal sir for helping me for the last three years. He helped (me) reach world no.1 in the rankings ..And also helped me win two world championships medal silver in 2015 and bronze in 2017 along with many super series titles ..I would also like to thank Prakash Padukone sir and PPBA for all the support they have given me for the last three years,” she tweeted. Her growth, though, had plateaued even as a longing to be back home grew. A return to Hyderabad was on the cards — a looming decision that was quick to register on the shuttler. The call was as swift as when she had taken the train to Bangalore in August 2014, sensing a flagging career.
Secluded environment
The Padukone academy is scheduled to move to a bigger campus — closer to the airport, but further secluded — and it was bound to get even more challenging to beat the post-training ennui day in, day out.
On the other end of the Kacheguda Express, was a set-up that’s buzzing with the collaboration of Gopichand and Handoyo, alongwith other coaches. There was also that basic understanding with Gopichand that had brought the best out of her in her early years, and a support system to deal with her fitness, given it remains the biggest challenge in the next three years.
Having closely watched friend Kashyap’s return after a similar surgery, guided by Mulyo and Gopi, would have emboldened her to take the surprise plunge.
Three years is also a long time to come to terms with her new position in Indian badminton — she’s no longer necessarily the No 1 but she has kept herself in the reckoning and hugely relevant with this World Championship medal.
The bronze would’ve further reinforced her self-assurance to the extent that she might not be all that uncomfortable with not needing that same level of “personalised attention” as she did three years ago.
Perhaps the wisest summarising of the situation came from coach Vimal Kumar whom Saina consulted for his opinion on the Indonesian coach Handoyo.
“I had indicated to her that there is no harm at all in her giving it a try. Players have a short span at the top and will always be looking at ways to get better. Saina and Sindhu are special girls and if they are able to get even better, we should provide them those opportunities,” he said as part of a larger press release.
Nehwal won’t find it difficult to settle in Hyderabad. But as she looks to prolong her career, it might well be the magic of Handoyo, coach to her all-time idol Taufik Hidayat, that gives her the start and culmination of a second wind for her career. Her earliest mentor Gopichand won’t be too far, to nudge her even further than she thought.
