According to badminton commentator Gillian Clark, Tanvi Sharma makes her think of Saina Nehwal. Coach Park Tae-sang compares PV Sindhu’s game to hers. Social media users comment that she looks like Akane Yamaguchi when she makes an arching leap to collect a shuttle way behind her head. Being a sponge, Sharma meticulously absorbed components from each of those well-known games to create and curate her own look.
Perhaps she most closely resembles her mother Meena, a visionary woman who coached her daughters Tanvi and Radhika after learning everything there is to know about badminton while playing volleyball herself. A day after placing second in a Super 300 final in Iowa, USA, Tanvi declares, “Their sacrifices, my mother’s and sister’s, have brought me here.”
After a fantastic week, the 16-year-old US Open finalist, who lost to 34-year-old Beiwen Zhang 11-21, 21-16, and 21-10, says she’s just glad to be compared to all these extremely accomplished shuttlers. Being compared to them makes me happy, of course, but everyone has their own flair. Although I have my own style, I hope to one day be able to match them,” she says.
What is the style of Tanvi Sharma?
In a collision, deceit
Before the large platform rendered her prone to mistakes, Sharma managed to put together four days of fearless hitting and a crisp, clean game in the Council Bluffs arena, a huge stadium that made her anxious when she arrived at the courts for the final.
However, the range of skill in her shots was undeniable. “Yes, my slices, half-smashes, and strokes are good. but can increase her stamina and reduce the unintentional mistakes,” she explains. I became a little anxious because it was a Super 300 final and the arena was so large. I participated in a lot of rallies after 13-all in the second game, but the third was difficult.
Zhang only had to draw on her own experience, but like others who were considerably older than Sharma, the American had also observed how unsettling Sharma’s attack and decoys might be.
There is potential for improvement.
The Indian needs to gain experience in rallies before she can unleash her magic tricks, despite having excellent reactive defense and some outstanding footwork. “Sharpness and endurance are at a different level at the highest level.”
However, the DNA of Indian women who are single still bears the scars of Sindhu’s game. The Punjabi from Hoshiarpur claims that “her aggression on court and sliced smashes.”
It was difficult at first to move to the High Performance Centre in Guwahati, but Sharma has started to appreciate learning new strokes under the guidance of an enthusiastic instructor, Park Tae-sang.
The adolescent, who likes mastering courtcraft, admits that while she misses home, she enjoys training.
Sharma faced World No. 2 Wang Zhi Yi of China at the most recent Uber Cup, and despite losing handily, she learned another valuable lesson from the opponent.
“Sharpness of strokes and how she stayed mentally strong on court,” she says, referring to a feature that hasn’t truly shown up in an Indian since Saina. “Power is one thing.” She admits, “I’m usually calm even against big names, but sometimes nerves strike,” but her performance shows no fear of being judged.
Coach Park believes fatigue and a lack of stamina were the main causes of Sunday’s defeat, but that will be the most important factor.
“I’m working on it, but my net game is a touch lacking. Sharma adds, “And I find training in the gym very challenging.” Strength and stamina are two criteria that require improvement.
The same geeing-up formula that worked for Sindhu also applies to Park: “I simply tell Tanvi Sharma that it’s alright. Chalo aaraam se.
Chanting prayers and listening to music keep her at ease. But when one asks her what her favorite books are, it becomes clear who is bearing the weight of Saina-Sindhu-sized expectations.
“I adore reading textbooks for school. English, naturally. However, I also adore math,” she says.
Even though Sharma continues to win this, the wait may be surprisingly short, so perhaps the comparisons can wait a few years.
