A chip off the old block

Son of a goldsmith, always a goldsmith? Not really, you would say. But going by Nigel D8217;Sa8217;s version, son of a badminton player is...

Son of a goldsmith, always a goldsmith? Not really, you would say. But going by Nigel D8217;Sa8217;s version, son of a badminton player is 8216;destined8217; to be a badminton player 8212; if he wishes so.

Son of Indian international and doubles specialist Leroy D8217;Sa, Nigel joins the tribe of Anand Pawar son of another doubles specialist Uday Pawar and Sanket Shetty son of Sunder Shetty, a player himself and also the vice-president of the Badminton Association of India.

However, unlike the other two who took to the game by default, Nigel played lawn tennis for four years as directed by his father until one day when he finally mustered up some courage and told her mother he wanted to play badminton. 8216;8216;I wanted him to play any game. PJ Hindu Gymkhana where I play, was too far considering the travelling factor for his tender age. Bandra Gymkhana, which is close to our home, doesn8217;t have badminton courts; so he took up tennis,8217;8217; Leroy reveals indicating that he never insisted on his son playing the game he loved.

Showing athletic genes, Nigel dabbled with athletics and also football in his very early formative years. After playing tennis for four years without any big achievement to boast for, Nigel finally started liking badminton while on his visits to various badminton tournaments with his father. 8216;8216;It was only when I was 15, that I told my mom of my new desire,8217;8217; a shy Nigel admits.

However, academics and tenth standard schooling played a part in slowing down the fuelling for his new passion. Slowly but steadily, Nigel seems to be catching up though. Like his father-cum-coach, Nigel is first concentrating on his basics for singles play. Semifinalist and finalist in singles in his first couple of years at the Greater Mumbai District Badminton championship, Nigel coincidentally got his first title in doubles last year. Pairing up with Swapnil Vyavharkar, he won at the district championships at home ground.

He followed it up with a double this year at the district level again, winning U-19 singles and doubles title with Amit Khadgi at North Indian Association, Matunga on Saturday.

Interestingly, father Leroy was missing from the sidelines when he notched up his first singles title yesterday. 8216;8216;Father has specifically taught me to play my own game and think on my own. He tries to be there whenever he can, but if he can8217;t make it there is no problem,8217;8217; says Nigel.

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But the most pertinent question cannot be avoided. Will he put himself under the bracket of a 8216;doubles8217; specialist? 8216;8216;I will branch to either singles or doubles, wherever my father advises,8217;8217; Nigel opines. But father Leroy lands a cross drop, 8216;8216;Not necessarily. If he can manage both, why not? You can be a good doubles player only if you are a good singles player.8217;8217; Touche!