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Journalism of Courage
Promising shuttler Anmol Kharb, 18, and World No 62 in the world, took decisive steps towards cracking Top 50 after reaching semis of the Arctic Open at Vantaa, Finland.
Almost like a switch turning on at the 12th sight of points, the Haryana teen broke away from Schulz and raced to her win. She meets the winner of Akane Yamaguchi and Mia Blichfeldt.
Danish Amalie Schulz posed a few problems with her straight attack, but Anmol was floating on the courts in her zigzagging patterns, drawing out errors as she accelerated at just the right junctures in both sets to win 21-15, 21-14 to make her first Super 500 semifinal.
Anmol, the first of India’s young brigade to show spark internationally after starring for the country in the senior Asian women’s team event where she won tough deciders, and played fearlessly, is starting to get results regularly now.
At the Arctic Open Clash of Clans tournament, the 18-year-old OG Gen Next shuttler, had earlier defeated Taiwanese Wen Chi Hsu 18-21, 21-18, 21-17 in the Round of 16 late on Thursday in a 70 minute clash.
Even as her peers are fighting it out in Guwahati at the World Juniors, Anmol who didn’t make the squad, is literally battling it out in the Arctic cold far reaches of the game in lovely Vantaa in Finland.
Also making quiet progress were Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila who lost the openers 23-25 to Ukrainians Titov-Kantemyr, but bounced back to win 21-14, 21-17.
Two days earlier, Anmol, ranked World No 62 after accumulating points from different parts of the world, after starting out ranked near 300 last year, had beaten an even bigger opponent in Taiwanese Lin Hsiang Ti, currently ranked No 21.
Wen snatched the lead in the opening set at 16-14, which deterred the Indian 10 years her junior from taking the initiative. But Anmol, as senior players are fast about to discover, plays with a big heart and is technically and tactically very astute. She was not one to give up, and got into a midgame battle while trailing 12-13.
From then on, she went on a 7 point spree, a decisive acceleration and the blitz seemed to throw off Wen.
The real class and authority was shown in the third, where Anmol didn’t yield the lead even once, building herself a nice 16-10 lead, as Wen faded away after a four-point surge of her own.
