Going gets tough for Parupalli Kashyap

This year has not been going the way shuttler Parupalli Kashyap wanted. He is yet to survive till the Saturday of a tournament week. He set out to enter the semifinals and final of Super Series tournaments and win some titles in 2013.

But, the farthest he managed was the quarterfinal at the All England Championships in early March.

The last three tournaments have seen the World No. 11 lose in the opening round. “It is a bit frustrating to bow out in the first round but there is no time to sulk,” Kashyap told dna on his return from Indonesia and Singapore Open tournaments.

“I have only got to learn and get better, perhaps change something in the way I train. This is something I have to figure out with my coach (Pullela Gopichand).”

Kashyap, who reached the London Olympics quarterfinals last year, was a semifinalist at the Indonesia Open last year. His inability to last longer in the recent tournaments have seen him lose about 4,500 ranking points and fall five places from a career-best sixth rank in men’s singles in the last eight weeks.

An optimist by nature, the 26-year-old Hyderabad-based shuttler believed he was not going through a phase in which form was neglecting him.

“I don’t believe in good or bad form. There is only one thing — that is learning and getting better. Of course, a little luck is also required. If I could have pulled through the first round in Singapore, I probably would’ve won the tournament.”

Kashyap lost 21-18 20-22 15-21 to Japanese Takuma Ueda in the first round of last week’s Singapore Open. Chief national coach Gopichand had said that it was not so much about Kashyap losing but Ueda playing brilliantly.

He added that Kashyap was unlucky to lose, much like the first round loss to Taufik Hidayat in New Delhi in April.

Asked what he needed to do return to form, with the World Championships coming up in about six weeks’ time, Kashyap said: “Nothing drastic but just a couple of changes, like more variation in my attack, get quicker to the net. I need to be consistent everyday in training and push myself harder and hope for the best.”

Kashyap preferred to look ahead and concentrate on the Worlds in Guangzhou, China (August 5-11). “I’ve good time now for the World Championships to assess myself properly and prepare well I’ll give a good performance there for sure,” he said.

Kashyap in 2013 (World No. 11)
Korea Open Super Series Premier, January: 2nd round

Malaysia Open Super Series, January: 2nd round

All England Championships Super Series Premier, March: Quarterfinals

Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold, March: Pre-quarterfinals

Badminton Asia Championships, April: Pre-quarterfinals

India Open Super Series, April: 1st round

Indonesia Open Super Series Premier, June: 1st round

Singapore Open Super Series, June: 1st round