Badminton: PV Sindhu sees a spark in 17-year-old Tanvi Sharma after training together in New Delhi

“Definitely, she has the talent, if she keeps training really hard and gets guided the right way,” Sindhu told The Indian Express after their training session at the Constitution Club of India courts ended with a fun session of 3-vs-3, with four other sparring partners, overseen by coach Irwansyah. “The training center in Guwahati has good courts and there are so many players to spar with her, boys and girls. And of course, Park (Tae Sang) is always behind her and she is in good hands. For sure, she has the potential to be the one coming up after me. Of course, we still have Malvika Bansod (India No 2 who has resumed playing after her injury) but overall, definitely Tanvi has what it takes.”

Tanvi’s all-round game has impressed Sindhu, from what she saw on through rallies against Wang that were shared on social media and from intense hitting sessions over the past few days.

PV Sindhu and Tanvi Sharma train in Delhi. (Express Photo | Vinayakk Mohanarangan)

“She is actually quite powerful, I have seen her smashes which are very effective. She also moves really well on the court. She has an all-round game and her skills are already quite good for a 17-year-old, like her drives and cross-court conversion. When we went to Guwahati last year, the way she was training, I could see she was working really hard. I have seen her matches at the Junior World Championships as well, where she won silver. She’s still young, and she is coming up really well,” Sindhu elaborated. “And she is very sweet, obviously,” she added with a smile at the end.

For Tanvi, it has been a pinch-me kind of week. First, getting a last-minute entry to her first Super 750 event after late withdrawals. Then, to play side-by-side with Sindhu and do so impressively. And finally, to learn from her idol in close quarters.

“It’s been a great privilege for me to play with Didi for the last couple of days and it’s been the perfect preparation for Indonesia Masters next week,” Tanvi told this daily, unable to control her giddiness. “I saw Sindhu Didi first when I walked to the court and went, ‘wow, I am playing next to her at the India Open.’ Ek sapna hota hai na? From a kid watching her play and hoping to learn everything possible, now I was playing next to her.”

Tanvi said she hoped to learn Sindhu’s discipline and on-court attitude, and incorporate the smashes from backcourt and her slices. “But most importantly, Didi’s aggressive style,” she added.

This arrangement came up when Park had to return to Guwahati after Tanvi’s defeat, but he requested his former ward if they’d train together. Then it was just a matter of having a quick word with Irwansyah.

Simple advice

The former world champion’s advice to Tanvi is fairly simple, yet not always easy to implement. “Just keep working hard, as she is now. It can be frustrating sometimes to travel and lose early at tournaments. But she needs to understand that the next phase is a stepping stone for her, gain a lot of experience and, most importantly, keep learning from her mistakes. I liked what she said in the interview after losing to Wang, that she was happy to take a set from the world No.2 and knows she needs to improve things like her endurance.”

Tanvi, on her part, seems to be already incorporating some of it. “After the match against Wang, I went back, and I saw the 20-19 point that I missed. Again and again. Oh my God, that shouldn’t have happened. If I won the first set, the result might have been different. That match, when the rallies were going on, I should have shown more patience,” Tanvi said.

The youngster also fondly recalled a few epic matches from Sindhu’s career: “I still remember watching both the semifinals and finals of Rio 2016. And then when she beat Akane Yamaguchi at Tokyo Olympics in the quarterfinals, I was 11 or 12, I was at Gopichand Academy. So we were all sitting and watching together, and I cheered like crazy. I remember that match a lot.” Asked if she has told Sindhu about all this, she blushes: “I haven’t told Didi directly yet that she is my inspiration.” Sindhu, sitting next to her, nodded with a smile. She knows that now, and more.