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Indian paddler G Sathiyan is on a roll. Just days after winning the WTT Contender mixed doubles title with Manika Batra, the table tennis player won an ITTF title when he triumphed in the Czech Open on Wednesday.
The long wait for his third ITTF title – precisely four years – makes the win extra special for Sathiyan. He beat Ukraine’s Yevhen Pryshchepa 4-0 (11-9, 11-6, 11-6, 14-12) to win the crown.
Two titles in as many tournaments since the Olympics seems to have done a world of good for Sathiyan’s confidence. The paddler, ranked 38 in the world, is keen to take giant strides in the future and is confident of topping bigger guns en route. In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Sathiyan oozed confidence. He said:
“Yes, there will be lot more upsets (beating top players) in store in the future.”
The WTT Contender in Budapest last week was the perfect stepping stone for the bigger challenges ahead. Sathiyan was getting into the groove and was gaining confidence before he was defeated in the pre-quarterfinals. The paddler said:
“In Budapest, I could feel I was getting better match by match. I was gaining confidence as the tournament progressed. The lack of playing competitive matches did show up. We, as players, always had match exposure. The league was stopped due to the pandemic and then the Olympics happened and then we came to Budapest.”
Sathiyan elaborated:
“What I was missing in Budapest was instinctive play, which is crucial. The quick decision making was missing in my singles play. I did a lot better in mixed doubles which was one of the reasons why we (Sathiyan and Manika Batra) had gone all the way and won the title.”
Sathiyan oozes in confidence
Sathiyan was a man on a mission at the Czech Open. His strategy and game plan were top notch and he knew his moves well. The mixed doubles win at the WTT Contender in Budapest gave him a lot of confidence and it showed in the way Sathiyan played. He said:
“I came into the Czech Open with a lot of confidence. I was moving well and got myself into a good rhythm. I did convert a lot of games to my advantage by getting into that zone where I was always better than the opponent.”
Sathiyan did not drop a single game in the entire tournament. He breezed past his opponents with clinical 4-0 wins, including the final. However, as always, the score line only tells us a part of the story and it was true in Sathiyan’s case as well. He said:
“It wasn’t as easy as the score line suggests. I won many games with a 11-9 margin which meant they were very close. There were no easy points on offer.”
Also Read: G Sathiyan, Manika Batra win WTT Contender Tournament, make winning start to their partnership
As the tournament progressed, Sathiyan was unstoppable. So what was the turning point in the Czech Open? When did he feel he could go all the way and win the title?
This is what he had to say in response to those questions:
“The pre-quarterfinal win over Sadi Ismailov gave me a lot of confidence. It was a very close match and I won with a very tight margin (11-9, 11-9, 11-8, 11-2). That was one of the turning points in the whole tournament. The win in the quarterfinal over Ali Alkhadrawi was big too (11-9, 11-2, 11-9, 11-8)."
"Ali had beaten Manav in the earlier rounds and was a tough opponent to beat. However, as the tournament progressed to the business end, I was in complete control. I adapted to the situations, the opponents’ game plans very well and I made sure my opponents were never given a chance.”
Longer rallies, a well thought after strategy for Sathiyan
One of Sathiyan’s game plans during the course of the tournament was to induce the opponent into playing longer rallies. Based on his playing style, he felt it would hand him the advantage. The Chennai player's ability to control the game over long rallies is his strongest suit. He explained:
“Yes, it was a part of my strategy to make my opponents play long rallies. I am always confident playing long rallies and an open game. I am quicker and can displace my opponent well in long rallies. It is a strong hold. I am an aggressive player at the table and when I combine them with long rallies, it is a lethal combination for anyone to encounter.”
However, the win has also exposed a few chinks in his armor and Sathiyan is keen to get it addressed quickly. He said:
“I know I have to improve on serves and receives and shorter rallies. Sometimes opponents’ do not allow you to play longer rallies and I shouldn’t be losing out. I am working on that.”
The Indian player will now be in action in the Polish League where he plays for Sokolow SA Jarsolow. After that he will get back into the international scene with the WTT Star Contender tournament and the Asian Championships in Doha.
