It was a mixed day for the Indian shuttlers at the Malaysia Open 2023 in Kuala Lumpur on on Friday. Where the pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty made it to the semi-finals after a stellar performance. And star shuttler HS Prannoy had to face defeat.

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Commonwealth Games gold medalists Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty defeated BWF World Tour Finals champions Liu Yu Chen and Ou Xuan Yi in three games to storm into the semi-finals of the Malaysia Open 2023 Super 750 badminton tournament. The 7th seeded Indian pair defeated the Chinese team 17.21, 22.20, 21.9.They will now face Lian Wei Keng and Wang Chang China.

The only Indian men's doubles pair to win the French Open title went down in the first game but then bounced back to win two consecutive games to reach the semi-finals.

On the other hand, India's HS Prannoy suffered a three-game quarterfinal loss to world number 7 Kodai Naraoka of Japan. The 30-year-old Prannoy from Kerala went down 16-21 21-19 10-21 to 21-year-old Naraoka in a match that lasted 84 minutes. Naraoka looked faster and fitter than the Indian despite playing two long matches in the first round. It was Naraoka's third win in three meetings against Prannoy. He also defeated Prannoy in the Singapore Open and World Tour Finals last year.

Prannoy fired some quick winners and came back after falling behind in the opening game but the young rival was in control in the deciding game and the Indian made unforced errors pay the price. Naraoka, playing in this match after defeating home favorite second seed Li Zi Jia in 73 minutes and Ng Jae Yong in 72 minutes, made it difficult for Prannoy to collect points. After the opening game was tied 7-7, the Japanese player took a two-point lead at the break and kept the pressure on.

In the second game, Prannoy tried to engage his opponent in long rallies. It worked for a while as he opened up a 13-9 lead. But Naraoka took advantage of the Indian's mistakes to equalize with four straight points. Prannoy and Naraoka were tied at 18-18 but the Indian hit a well-timed cross court smash to earn two points. Then in a spectacular rally, the Japanese shot out and the match reached a deciding game. In the third game, Prannoy had some leg problems. Naraoka dominated the rallies after taking a 5-3 lead. And Prannoy was down five points before the break with errors of his line.

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Mistakes by the Indian continued as Naraoka took a 14-6 lead. Prannoy looked tired and then squandered 12 match points and the Japanese player won the match.

When the exclusion of badminton from the 2026 Commonwealth Games feels like unhealed pain for Indian badminton fans, the shuttles shine at the Japan Para Badminton International 2024 in Tokyo. India concluded their campaign with 24 medals, including six gold, nine silver, and nine bronze.

Sivarajan Solaimalai defeated Chun Yim Wong of Hong Kong in straight games (21-16, 21-16), thus winning the gold medal in the men's single SH6 category.

Manisha Ramadass clinched the gold medal by defeating Japan's Mamiko Toyoda by 21-12, 21-18 in the SU5 women's singles category.

Sukant Kadam, however, defeated his contemporary Indian Tarun Dhillon by 21-12, 21-10 to win the gold in the SL4 Men's Singles Category.

Naveen Sivakumar and Surya Kant won the bronze medals.

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Upset For Paralympic Champion Nitesh Kumar at the Japan Para Badminton International 2024

Japan's Fujihara Daisuke defeated Nitesh Kumar in a thrilling three-game contest in the final, with Kumar winning just one in the middle. The scoreboard says 16-21, 21-18, 19-21. Nitesh had to settle for silver

Hardik Makkar too received a silver medal after being defeated by Japan's Taio by 5-21, 19-21 in the SU5 Men's single final. Ruthik Raghupati won a bronze medal in this category.

The other silver came after Coraline Bergeron of France defeated Neeraj in the women's singles SL3 category final.

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Gold haul counts three

Hardik who failed in the SU5 Men's single, partnered with Ruthik and won gold by defeating the Indo-Polish duo Dev Rathi and Bartlomiej Mroz. 

Umesh Vikram Kumar and Surya Kant Yadav won the gold medal in the SL3-SL4 men's double category by defeating their fellow Indians Sukant Kadam and Dinesh Rajaiah 21-5, 20-22, 21-16.

In the D SH6 category, Sudarsan Saravanakumar Mutusamy and Sivarajan Solaimalai won the gold medal.

The contemporary Indian Badminton has so far gained the popularity in its country. However, certain issues need to be resolved. The biggest concern lies in the shuttlers facing a different environment in the non-Asian Countries. The major problem they face is the thick and slower court. 

This issue had made India short of many assured medals by whiskers. Be it peak Kidambi Srikanth missing his World Title in 2017 to Reddy-Shetty failing in big tournaments.

How do Indian and Asian Courts differ from European Courts?

The Asian Summers

Speaking about the weather in the Asian summers, it is humid. The Asian stadia provide full on air-conditioned courts for athletes. 

Air-conditioned rooms are marked favorable for shuttles, as the shuttles fly faster here. Here are the reasons:

• Lower air density: Air conditioning reduces temperature and humidity, resulting in denser air with fewer air molecules. This decrease in air resistance allows shuttlecocks to travel faster.
• Reduced air turbulence: Air conditioning systems circulate and filter the air, minimizing turbulence and air pockets that can slow down the shuttlecock.
• Consistent airflow: Air conditioning maintains a consistent airflow, reducing unpredictable air currents that can affect shuttlecock trajectory.
• Lower humidity: Dry air reduces the shuttlecock's drag coefficient, enabling it to fly faster.

This helps the athletes to maintain faster rallies and increased smashes with an attacking play. The also helps them to read the speed and work on their reaction time'

Added to this, the enhthralling supporters add more fuel to the pagddlers when tired.

European winters

European winters contradics the humid weather. Unlike the windy weather here, the air feels cal, slow and still. 

Slow and still air significantly impacts shuttlers' performance, technique, and strategy. it included different physical challenges along with rectified techniques and strategies.

The challanges a shuttler faces due to these conditions are as follows:

• Reduced shuttlecock speed: Slower reactions, less power.
• Increased drag: Shuttles dip and drop unexpectedly.
• Unpredictable trajectory: Difficulty judging distance and direction.
• Fatigue: Players expend more energy to generate power.

However, these are the "negetives" bigger stages like Olympics, offer.

Slow court, A Bane to the Shuttlers

Here are some instances when paddles were denied their crown due to the courts' behaviour.

• 2017 Kidambi Srikanth, a fast court specialist in India missed his Worlds Title in the slow Glaswegian conditions. The slow pitch defied from the title as the Korean Son Wan-ho defeated him in the quarterfinal.
• Tanvi Patri, a 13 year old rookie got defeated in Thailand's sluggish pitch last December. The thick air denied her speed, showing a red alert that she needs to gain some strength.
• And the most discussed duo- Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty. Right now, Reddy-Shetty is the finest doubles player in Indian Badminton periphery. Reddy still has his world fastest smash of 493km/hr. Even then, this duo cannot assert full power in slow court. And thus, they lost a few of the most serious and well-deserved titles.

Demands of Sluggish Pitches

Slow and still air significantly impacts shuttlers' performance, techniques, and strategies. Someone who was been trained on faster courts will find it difficult to adapt to the conditions if exposed.

The shuttles face certain physical changes that are listed below:

• Reduced shuttlecock speed: Slower reactions, less power.
• Increased drag: Shuttles dip and drop unexpectedly.
• Unpredictable trajectory: Difficulty judging distance and direction.
• Fatigue: Players expend more energy to generate power.

An athlete thus needs to make a few technical adjustments to combat the challenges.

• Slower stroke speed: Compensate for reduced shuttlecock speed.
• Increased wristwork: Generate power and control.
• Softer touches: Reduce shuttlecock's descent.
• More spin: Control shuttlecock trajectory.

The strategic changes include:

• Patient play: Waiting for opportunities to attack.
• Defensive focus: Exploiting opponents' struggles.
• Net play: Using precise, soft shots.
• Angle play: Creating sharp angles to disrupt opponents.

Effects on a few notable Shots:

1. Smashes: Less effective due to reduced power.
2. Clear shots: More difficult to execute.
3. Drops: Harder to control.

Slow Court? Not an Issue!

Not an old story when Lakshya Sen lost to Victor Axelsen in the Olympics semi-final. Slower Courts like that in Europe, especially in stages like Olympics demand patience and exquisite footwork, with strong defence. Lakshya had his defence in the checklist, but his footwork was still a sore in his throat. The Denmark giant was a set ahead when Lakshya fought but lost to nerves.

The bronze medal match had all these including his exposed injury in his smashing hand. The defence he has can aid in this condition but muscular opponents are still a challange to him.

The other veteran on court H.S. Pranoy is a clever lad with versatile techniques. He has got his techniques handy to combat the sluggishness. He thus not only won in Malaysia, but has a Worlds medal round his neck.

Two-time Olympic medalist P.V. Sindhu with her blazing power heft and work rate till 2019, defies these challanging conditions. The Olympic bronze medalist Saina Nehwal with her sturdy power smash overshadowed her limitations in court coverage capabilities.

Indian Approach

India has a love for stroke-making. Even though it is aesthetically pleasing, it question the  practicality in World Badminton.

With the October ticks in, the Europe session starts. The badminton camp then comes back and does a wide India-hoping, visiting smallcities playing number of tournaments! But how that that judge their efficiency in slow courts!

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The slow courts host a major number of important international tournaments. With India not getting enough time their will never expire the frustration of them not getting medals.

Rookies like Priyanshu Rajawat will depend more on strokeplays like his ancestor Srikant used todo. Not failing the later, Rajawat will succumb to frustrating errors, missing points. Srikant had Son Wan-ho, but Rajawat will have way more equipped opponents-  Kunlavut Vitidsarn and of Kodai Naraoka.

Its high time for Indian to spend more time on slow courts, count quality over quantity, in order to not miss any well deserved title in fututre, 

The Badminton Association of India (BAI) announced a total cash award of Rs 50 lakh for the country's para-badminton players who won medals in the Paris Paralympics 2024 last month.

Indian para-badminton players had won a total of five medals including one gold, two silver, and two bronze at the Paris Paralympics 2024.

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Para shuttlers to receive cash rewards

Nitesh Kumar, who won gold in the men's singles SL3 category, will get a prize of Rs 15 lakh. Silver medalists Suhas Yathiraj (men's singles SL4) and Thulasimathi Murugesan (women's singles SU5) will be given Rs 10 lakh each.

Bronze medal winners Manisha Ramadass (women's singles SU5) and Nithya Sre Sivan (women's singles SH6 category) will get Rs 7 lakh 50 thousand each. Thulasimathi, Manisha and Nithya created history by becoming the first Indian female badminton players to win a medal in the Paralympics.

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 'Rewards were a way to acknowledge the shuttlers'

BAI Secretary General Sanjay Mishra said, “Indian Para badminton players have been performing consistently on the world stage and the cash rewards are just one way for BAI to recognise their efforts in helping the country win medals at the Paralympics.” 

“BAI is committed to developing and promoting para-badminton across the country and helping these players achieve much more success and many more initiatives to develop para-badminton are being undertaken,” He added.

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In view of the players' busy tournament schedule, BAI will also organize a virtual interaction session with these players to congratulate them and understand their requirements for continued development.

Leaving behind the disappointing campaign of the Paris Olympics 2024, veteran Indian female shuttler PV Sindhu is desperate to make a comeback on the badminton court after two months. Now Sindhu will compete in the Arctic Open BWF Super 500 tournament to be held in Finland from 8 to 13 October. 

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Sindhu to make a fresh start with new coach

The two-time Olympic medalist has now shifted from Bengaluru to Hyderabad to train with Anup Sridhar. Earlier she was taking training from Prakash Padukone in Bengaluru. Currently, Anup will train PV Sindhu in Hyderabad and will also go to Finland with her.

During Sindhu's campaign in Europe, where she will also compete in the Denmark Open (October 15-20), Sridhar will be accompanying her. Sridhar will also oversee Sindhu's campaign during Asian tour events like Korea, Kumamoto and China Masters.

Returned home empty handed in Paris

Indian star shuttler may not have won a medal in Paris, but her next goal has been decided. Actually, Sindhu won silver medal in 2016 Rio Olympics and bronze medal in 2021 Tokyo Olympics. This happened for the first time in the Paris Games when Sindhu returned to the country without a medal. Her journey ended in the quarter finals itself.

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Eye on ending title drought

29-year-old PV Sindhu will be eyeing an end to her two-year-long title drought when she competes in the Arctic Open Super 500 next month. She last won the Singapore Open tournament in 2022. She is currently at number 14 in the world ranking. Sindhu has no intention of retiring. Her next target is Asian Games 2026. 

However, playing in the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 will depend on her fitness. Sindhu will turn 33 by the Los Angeles Olympics. It is not easy to win an Olympic medal at the age of 33 in a sport like badminton. 

Indian badminton player Malvika Bansod continued her brilliant form and entered the Super 1000 quarter-finals for the first time by winning a tough match against her higher ranked opponent Kirsty Gilmour at the China Open 2024 in Changzhou on Thursday.

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Malvika Bansod, BWF ranking 43rd, toiled hard for one hour and five minutes before defeating two-time Commonwealth Games medalist and world number 25 Gilmour of Scotland 21-17 19-21 21-16 in the women's singles round-of-16 match.

Earlier defeated Paris Olympics bronze medalist

The 23-year-old player achieved this victory a day after defeating the Paris Olympics 2024 bronze medalist Gregoria Mariska Tunjung of Indonesia. 

However, Malvika Bansod, the only Indian shuttler left in the competition, faces a tough challenge as she will face fourth seed and two-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the last eight stage.

Although the Japanese shuttler has won both the matches against Malvika, the Indian shuttler came close to defeating  Yamaguchi and she is hopeful that she will be able to register victory this time.

Malvika's sensational performance in pre-quarterfinals

In the opening game against Gilmour, Malvika was down 11-5 at the break. The Indian shuttler brought down the deficit to two points at 16-14 and then won seven of the next eight points to go one game up in the contest. Gilmour, drew on her experience to mount a comeback and close a tight second game.

Malvika surged to an eight-point lead at 10-2 in the decider. She later extended her advantage to 20-11. Gilmour fought back with five consecutive points to make it 20-16 but the late fightback proved too little for Malvika, who comfortably sealed her spot in the quarter-finals.