After qualifying for the Olympics at a tournament in Doha in March, Achanta Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra had been itching to train together. They were in Chennai and Pune, respectively, and Covid kept them there. Eventually, with some doing, she went to Chennai to train with him, and then Kamal went to Pune. The duo also managed a three-day training stint at the national camp in Sonepat, Haryana, in June.
Manika, India’s highest-ranked women’s international (No 63), has been training with her coach, Sanmay Paranjape, and her Belarusian sparring partner, Kiril Barabanov, at the India Khelega academy in the heart of Pune.
“The pandemic has been really tough for everyone,” Manika, 25, told THE WEEK. “I was doing really well before that, but then things just stopped and left us with no tournaments. [But] I learnt work ethic during the lockdown. After the mixed doubles qualifying match in Doha got over, I went to the gym. When I returned to Pune, I began training without any break.”
Meanwhile, Sharath, the world No 32, has to focus not only on the mixed doubles, but also on the men’s singles competition.
Speaking to THE WEEK about his and Manika’s stunning win against world number five Sang-Su Lee and Jihee Jeon of South Korea in the Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament in Doha, Sharath said: “[It] was the most important performance for Indian table tennis. Winning [bronze] at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta was also big. [I could start thinking that] if we can win at the Asian Games, we can do so at the Olympics, too. If I have a fantastic run in Tokyo, I have a small chance of [winning a] medal. But now with mixed doubles, we are actually looking at it.”
The mixed doubles is perhaps India’s best chance to win an elusive Olympics medal, and the duo is currently ranked 19 in the event. This will be the first time since the sport was introduced at the Olympics, in 1988, that India will compete in more than two events; mixed doubles has been introduced this year.
Said Olympian Kamlesh Mehta: “We were expecting India to get two berths. The qualification in mixed doubles is a big boost to Indian table tennis. Mixed doubles is not played much in India and there is not much exposure. Both Sharath and Manika are mature players. Doubles is about teamwork; each player has to take the ball alternatively. Players must have good coordination and understanding.”
Sharath and Manika are a study in contrast. This will be his fourth Olympics; her second. He has experience, but has to train doubly hard to take on younger, faster opponents; she is 13 years younger, more outgoing and splashier. His bandana is his trademark look; she paints the tricolour on her nails, has a high ponytail and, at times, glittery hairbands. “We are very different,” said Sharath. “The way we handle ourselves, the way we play. What is common is that we play better under pressure. She slows her game down, I play at a high speed. When we get going, it becomes very difficult for the opponent.”
Said Manika: “I think it is important to train well for singles. Only if I am doing that can I support my partner well in a doubles match. We are really looking forward to a good performance in Tokyo.”
Manika also credits her training in Pune. “Since I moved here, I have worked on the technical aspects of my game, such as my forehand, which I never did before,” she said. “My coach Sanmay Paranjape is knowledgeable about these things, which has really helped me. I worked a lot on my fitness to play better against quick and powerful opponents. I have a personal physio here, too. All this has given me good results.”
A key factor in her improvement has been the Ultimate Table Tennis league. It presents an opportunity to play against and alongside many top players of the world in home conditions. “UTT is the only league I play and it has helped me improve my game,” she said. “UTT has changed the game drastically in the country. It has given a lot of players the confidence to face international players.”
Said Sharath: “The reason I went to Europe was to get that exposure. You could play with different players and not be intimidated when going for international tournaments.”
This will be the most prepared Sharath has been for any Olympics, the lack of international tournaments notwithstanding. He has a full team of coaches working with him, and his trainer Ramji Srinivasan ensures that his physical conditioning is perfect. “Last time, I started my preparation in May-June [in 2016],” he said. “But I did not peak during the Olympics. I figured out that my preparation has to start two months earlier this time. I have never gone into an Olympics so highly ranked. I am in a better mental frame, and I understand what is required to perform well. The most important thing is that I have understood my own self over the years.”
The other Indians in the fray are world No 38 Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and world No 98 Sutirtha Mukherjee. Sathiyan is heading to Tokyo after a satisfactory stint in the Polish league. He had missed the 2016 Olympics because his father died during the qualification period. “I was confident of making it to the Olympics,” the 28-year-old told THE WEEK from Poland. “The mission, of course, is to win a medal. Missing the Rio Olympics has made it more special. [My father’s passing] made me more determined to play like [I have] nothing to lose.”
Sathiyan, coached by former paddler S. Raman in Chennai, was lucky to play in the Polish league; many other tournaments, including the UTT, are yet to resume. “I worked on my counter-attacking skills and aggressive play,” he said. “I went into small details, analysed mine and my opponents’ game, and came up with solutions. I am constantly improving my ranking. The Polish league was excellent, [I had an] unbeaten streak.”
The youngest member of the Indian team, in terms of experience, is 25-year-old Sutirtha. After qualifying for Tokyo, she is back at her coach Soumyadeep Roy’s academy at Jadavpur in Kolkata. Though she is from Naihati, in the 24 North Parganas district, Sutirtha moved to Jadavpur to train full-time at the academy. On her win against Manika in the Olympic qualifier, Sutirtha said, “I was nervous. We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, but I played my game and attacked her weak points.” She is now focusing on improving her fitness and plugging the weaknesses in her game.
With Tokyo round the corner, India is looking at what could be its best chance to finally win a table tennis medal at the Olympics.