We need to nurture good doubles pairs: Sanave-Rupesh

OTTAPPALAM: When Sanave Thomas (36) and Rupesh Kumar KT (37), one of the best doubles pairs in Indian badminton, came to play their crucial match against Karnataka in the mixed team semifinals, the entire Kerala team, both seniors and juniors, assembled near the sideline to watch them play.
It was not just to support the pair in the do-or-die game against their opponents but watching them play was an education in itself for Kerala's next generation of badminton stars.Huge applause accompanied every serve and smash. But more importantly, the youngsters sitting on the sidelines learnt about their on-court chemistry.
No shouting at each other, no lengthy strategic discussions but Sanave-Rupesh prevailed over their young rivals in style. The rapport between made them a force to reckon with at the national and international level and they believe that their passion towards badminton was the reason behind their successful careers.
The international doubles pair who made it to top-15 in world rankings in their prime, urged youngsters to set higher goals to make it big in the game. "It was not easy for us in the beginning. We had to work really hard to achieve what we did. Nowadays it's very easy and youngsters get great support too. But I must say that their passion towards the game is not that great. Winning the state championship was fun but we are really looking forward to a strong pair who could beat us easily," said Rupesh.
Sanave, who has been coaching more than 60 kids with Joy T Antony at RSC Kadavanthra, said even the talented youngsters don't take badminton as a priority. "What everyone needs is instant results. Kids usually skip training due to exams and other academic activities. I won't say that education is not important but if you are good at badminton, the game should be your primary concern. If you look at Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad or Prakash Padukone Academy in Bengaluru, the trainees' major worry is always the schedule at the academy, not anything else," said Sanave.
With PV Sindhu's Rio Olympic silver medal show, India is going to be the next powerhouse in badminton, feels Rupesh. "If you look at the singles line-up in India, we have got six or seven very talented players. Malaysia, China and Korea have been losing their domination and we are going to rule in the future. I hope we nurture good doubles players too. International exposure is a must for youngsters to improve the game," added Rupesh.
Believing your partner is as much important as believing in yourself. Doubles is all about supporting each other and understanding the strength and weaknesses of your partner and there is no role for the blame game, feels Rupesh. "There is a tendency among youngsters that they always find fault with their partner's game. That's very bad. You should have confidence in your partner and that will help you achieve big. You won't win everyday. Sometimes we win and sometimes lose. Mutual respect is the key to our success," said Rupesh.