Ageing Sharath brings out vintage game to stay afloat

ANYONE WHO walked into the Thyagaraj stadium on Friday was in for a strange sight— a choc-a-blocparkinglot.afterthreedaysofless than stellar attendance at the India Open, it seemed the Delhi residents had turned a corner. As it turned out, the commotion was for a school’s sports day celebrations, ironically. Logic dictates more people would turn up for theweekend’smatches.especiallynow,when they have an incentive to do so.

India’ssharathkamalputonaclinictooutclass world No. 24 Yuto Muramatsu 4-1 and enter the quarterfinals of the $150,000 ITTF Worldtourevent.abidingbytheoldadage‘attack is the best defence’, Sharath cranked up his forehand and caught the defensive Muramatsu off-guard.

While he had seen an 11-year-old Muramatsu play in 2006, 62nd-ranked Sharathhadneverfacedhimbefore.butonthe night, Sharath had a plan and he followed it to a T. Knowing he couldn’t engage in long rallies with the renowned chopper, Sharath used his explosive power to overwhelm the 21-yearold. “He couldn't stop my power,” was Sharath’sassessment.“iwaswhackingtheball intoeverycorner.mytimingtodaywassogood that he had no chance to catch the balls.”

The34-year-old—whowantedtofinishthe gametoofastbecausehe“couldn’tkeepupthis power for seven games” —was out for the kill even if it meant an odd forehand going astray. And much like the night before, Sharath ran into some trouble in the fourth game when he wastedthreematchpoints.howeverherecovered quickly to win the next game to wrap up the win. Up next is rival and good friend Paul Drinkhall,thebritwhodefeatedsharathatthe 2010 Commonwealth Games. But Sharath, whohascomeoutontopthelasttwotimes,is confidentofagoodshowingandsays,“ishould be in the top 50 soon.”

“Igotinjuredandwentdown(inrankings). But even the other players tell me, ‘Kamal, the way you play, you should be in top 50, even 40.” That shouldn’t be a problem if he keeps up the game.

Sharath remained the silver lining for the Indianchallenge,withnootherindianremaining in the fray.