Shuttler Thulasi on a revival path

KOCHI: Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu are the two known faces of Indian women's badminton but there are a bunch of second tier players who are eager to make their presence felt in the international circuit. PC Thulasi, the new national women's singles champion is only one among them.
On Sunday, Thulasi defied the odds to defeat top seed Tanvi Lad 21-9, 21-13 in a 41-minute final at the Punjab University Hall in Chandigarh.
After rising to a career high world ranking of 34 almost a year ago, recurring injuries and a string of poor performances saw Thulasi's fortunes taking a nosedive which sees her lying at 101 in the latest BWF rankings. But the shuttler reckons she is now on a revival path. "After winning gold and silver in the singles and team event in National Games last year, I struggled with injuries. I have been working hard for this moment for the past several months. This is like a dream come true for me. I'm on a comeback path. I know I can still get better and to the same levels I had attained earlier and this title win will boost my confidence," said Thulasi.
Thulasi has emerged as an exception as a singles player from a state known for producing more female doubles players. "Becoming a doubles or singles player depends mainly on one's interest. There is nothing to do with the coaching styles," she said on her reasons for opting singles.
Though India's top shuttlers stayed away from the national championship, Thulasi feels the tournament has its own importance in the development of young badminton players. "The value of being a national champion is always higher and nothing can match that feeling," she said.
Having won her maiden national championship, Thulasi now intends to shift her focus to international tournaments in the coming season. "To perform well in international stages we need to get more international exposure. So I'll be looking to participate in more international tournaments in the coming season and improve my ranking," she said.