Krishna Kanta Chakraborty| TNN | May 8, 2020, 10:51 IST
CHENNAI: Paddler G Sathiyan had a dream run in 2019 as he became the first Indian player to break into top 30. And from playing in Bundesliga to shifting base to Toyko for the Japan’s top-tier T-League, he ticked all boxes and was on the right path to secure India a men’s singles slot in the Olympics. World No. 31 Achanta Sharath Kamal, too, was very much in the fray, especially after his win in Oman Open, but the COVID-19 outbreak has changed the entire dynamics.
While World No. 32 Sathiyan is lucky to have a personal TT table and a robot to practise with, Sharath Kamal hasn't picked the racquet since his Oman title in March. Though both of them have no clue when the international events will restart, Sathiyan hopes to catch the Toyko flight to take part in the T-League in September.
“There are a lot of uncertainties and I don’t know how long this will continue. But I’m quite hopeful that I’ll be able to go to Japan to take part in the league, starting in September. I’ve been training at home with whatever resources I have but unless I get into full-fledged practice or participate in competitive events, I won’t be able to assess my game.
"If I can join T-League, which will run from September to March next year, I’m sure my game will improve by miles and I’ll get into best shape in quick time,” Sathiyan, who joined Okayama Rivets in February this year, told TOI on Thursday.
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Read more: Without personal TT table at home, Sharath Kamal totally out of practice during lockdown
