The Hindu : Abhinn Shyam, Polsana triumph

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 19, 2002

Sport

Sport - Badminton

Abhinn Shyam, Polsana triumph

By Nandakumar Marar

MUMBAI AUG. 18. Abhinn Shyam Gupta makes for an ideal badminton sparring partner — retrieving smashes till you tell him to stop, long legs stretching out to all corners of the court and keeping the bird in play without any visible strain on his face. The Indian also happens to be a patient champion, as Thailand's Jakra Thanathiratham discovered over 51 minutes of competition in the BPL Asian Satellite Badminton Championships men's singles final on Sunday.

The fourth-seeded Thai tried every stroke in his memory bank and more, but found the top seed covering the court like a machine, flicking returns over the net at will. Gupta's defensive game worked so well that victory was only a matter of time, winning 15-4, 6-15, 15-4 for a morale-boosting men's title, picking up a cheque for Rs 33,600. The Indian now moves on eastward for the Singapore Open, armed with a lot of confidence in himself and respect from rivals.

Aparna Popat, the top seed in the women's event, realised how far she has to go before catching up international competition. She lost to second seed Salakjit Polsana, just 18 but blessed with deception and courtcraft far beyond her years.

The Thai youngster's 11-7, 8-11, 11-5 victory at the Bombay Gymkhana courts shows the gap to be bridged by Indian women shuttlers against Asian counterparts.

Gupta's patience paid off in the first game against his aggressive Thai rival, relaxed in the second won by Thanathiratham but picked up points easily against the tired Thai in the decider. "The first game was so easy that I relaxed a little afterwards, before changing tactics in the decider, serving low and making him move up and down the court,'' remarked the Indian champion, sounding as cool and relaxed as on court.

Aparna found herself playing a guessing game in the women's final. Polsana's ability to mix drops and overhead smashes with the same action won her many points before an appreciative audience. The Indian scampered forward to the net and flicked returns in the latter stages, but found herself off position when her swifter opponent moved in for the kill.

India won the mixed doubles title when the pair of Jaseel Ismail and Manjusha Kanwar beat another Indian pair of Marcus Bristow/B.Meenakshi in straight games.

The Asian Satellite was organised by the Maharashtra Badminton Association, the co-ordination by Padukone Sports Management.

The results:

Men's singles final: 1-Abhinn Shyam Gupta (Ind) bt 4-Jakrapan Thanathiratham (Tha) 15-4, 6-15, 15-4. Women's singles final: 2-Salakjit Polsana (Tha) bt 1-Aparna Popat (Ind) 11-7, 8-11, 11-5.

Men's doubles final: Jeremy Gan Wye Teck/James Gan Telk Chai (Mal) bt Ng Kean Kok/Tan Bin Shen (Mal) 15-13, 15-5. Women's doubles final: Duang-Anong Arunkesorn/Kulchala Worawichitchaikul (Tha) bt S.Polsana/Saratja Chansrisukot (Tha) 11-1, 11-5.

Mixed doubles final: Jaseel Ismail/Manjusha Kanwar (Ind) bt Marcus Bristow/B.R.Meenakshi (Ind) 11-5, 11-3; semifinals: J. Ismail/M.Kanwar (Ind) bt J.Thanathiratham/Kulchala. W (Tha) 13-10, 13-10; M.Bristow/B.Meenakshi (Ind) bt T.Laohathaimongkol/D.A. Arukesorn (Tha) 11-7, 11-6.

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