Future’s bright, says Bhat

“Tell me, which other game in India has so many players jostling among the best in singles? The next two years are big for this sport, and it will only get bigger,” he says, keen on pocketing the title here after sailing into the quarters.

“The sponsors are looking at badminton seriously, the juniors look good and ready to take over, tournaments with upwards of Rs 5-lakh prize money are springing up and, most importantly, there’s a big bunch of players pushing hard in the Top 50s, not one lone hope,” Bhat says.

If Anup Sridhar or Saina Nehwal knock off a few big names at the Olympics and get within a sniff of a medal, even better.

Bit-glamour — Deepika Padukone and Soha Ali Khan — will combine with solid sport in the form of Prakash Padukone and Sunil Gavaskar for an exhibition game on the final day of this tournament, but the real push is coming from within the shuttle-playing community. A league — since Premier Leagues are in vogue these days — is being given a thought in badminton circles, though Bhat believes that the participation of Indian stars is paramount, alongside foreign names.

“It needs to be grand, with participation of all the top Indian names, and maybe sometime in April or just after the Nationals. It can be a huge success, but not if its half-hearted in any way,” Bhat says.

The last time Bhat played in Mumbai — and won, at Vile Parle — he was India No 1, before injury packed him off on an enforced break. But up ahead, Bhat, who had decent outings in Europe in his comeback swing, is hoping for some bigger success in Asia this year.

“I dream of winning a Grand Prix, and I believe I can if I play to potential. But realistically, I’m looking to at least make the semis of Super Series soon,” he says. But before badminton takes the giant leap, this shuttler, often given to understatement, has a few small steps to take.There’s the India No 1 spot to be regained, for starters.