Pressure is a privilege: Sathiyan Gnanasekaran

Little did a five-year-old boy from Tamil Nadu know that learning the nuances of table tennis at an early age, under the guidance of Arjuna Awardee V Chandrasekhar, would create the base for his sporting career. Fast forward 23 years, and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran is one of the contenders for a medal in the table tennis event at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.

Gnanasekaran, who recently won his maiden national title, considers himself lucky to get to play in the pandemic. “I’ve been lucky to get to travel and play leagues despite tough situations. Table tennis is one of the first sports to organise a national championship on a big scale. To win that elusive title in a tough year, I couldn’t have asked for a better start for 2021,” he shares.

The 28-year-old Arjuna Awardee says that initially everyone was disappointed as the Olympic qualifiers were nearing and then, in a matter of weeks, things changed globally due to Covid-19.

“Everything came to a standstill. However, spending time with family is a luxury for a sportsperson like me. Especially the first two months were really nice, to be with my mom, eat homecooked food and watch movies together. I don’t remember when we had that kind of time before this,” he says.

Currently world no. 32, he revels in pressure. “As I say, pressure is a privilege. I use it to my advantage and try getting better,” he adds.

The reigning national champion, doesn’t feel cricket has overshadowed other sports in the country. “Cricket deserves its credit. They have been world champions. People are now welcoming every sport. I am really happy with the coverage table tennis has been getting in the last four to five years. We were never a sport-driven country, but are moving towards that goal now,” he signs off.