Driving Force
Ranked top 25 in the world, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Indian table tennis player believes the sport is in its highest form. We talk to him about his success, struggles, and much more.
Member of the Indian team that took the bronze in the 2011 Junior World Championships, G Sathiyan has become India’s highest-ranked player in the latest International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) rankings. Sathiyan, who was nowhere near the top-100 bracket until a few months ago, is the highest-ranked Indian right now at 30. He had recently been signed up with the top German club Grünwettersbach for the prestigious German Bundesliga top division league. Sathiyan is also the lone Indian to enter the men’s singles pre-quarterfinals at the continental tournament. We talk to the talented man to know what made him strike the chord with table tennis.
How old were you when you started playing table tennis and how did your career begin?
I started playing table tennis at a very young age. I was captivated by speed and spin, something I feel came naturally to me. I was five when my mom took me to a table tennis coaching centre near our house and that was the beginning of my career.
India’s top-ranked table tennis player ever and the current World No. 24, what is the most memorable moment in your career thus far?
The Asian Games medal was one of the biggest achievements in my career. I would put it among one of my best performances so far. Most of the powerhouses in the sport are from Asia and to win a medal against them is a big achievement. It makes you dream for more. Also beating Japanese prodigy and World No. 5 Harimoto Tomokazu in the Asian TT championships earlier this year and reaching the quarters in the same competition was one of my best achievements
How difficult was it to cope with the pressure of trying to become the best out of thousands of other players? Did you have moments of doubt along the way? What kept you going?
I started winning from a very young age. Winning became a part of me, it became a habit. It was something that pushed me further. I was always competitive and there were absolutely no moments of doubt for me.
If the opponent has taken a substantial lead, what is your strategy? Try and play safe or take the risky route and be aggressive?
Risky route and be aggressive. I would take a calculated risk and be aggressive to play a strategic game with the opponent and try to understand their lead.
If you could start playing table tennis all over again, what style would you prefer? (Defense/Penhold/Counter/Blocker/ Attacker etc.)
If I could start my career as a table tennis player all over again, I would definitely play as the attacker. It keeps me on my toes and helps me stay agile at all times.
Share some tips you can offer to novice players to improve their game? Or perhaps an inspirational message for other table tennis players looking to succeed?
Table tennis is a fantastic sport. Initially, youngsters should enjoy the sport and understand the sport much better. Don’t think to compete from the very beginning, it puts a lot of pressure. Learn the techniques and have fun playing the sport and eventually, you will be able to play at the national and international level.
Life of a sportsperson is filled with various forms of exercises. Please share your training and diet tips with the readers.
My morning one hour witness between 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM, and then breakfast. I practice between 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM and then eat my lunch. Again in the evening, there is skill training and service practice. Then again there are three hours of practice between 5:30 PM and 8:30 PM. This cycle continues six days a week. I have a dietician and a program that I follow during the tournament and one during training. Whenever I’m in Chennai, I train at the Raman TT High-Performance Centre to keep me going.
What do you like to do when you aren’t training or playing table tennis?
I watch movies and try spending time with friends.
Who’s your favourite sportsperson of all time?
Hands down, Roger Federer.
Where do you see yourself and table tennis as a sport progressing in India over the next five years?
I feel like this is the golden era of table tennis and the best is yet to come because it is not only Sharath, Manika and me performing well, there is Manav and there is Archana who is also doing well. I do feel that we are going to get the sport to a new level. I hope table tennis can do the same as badminton and we win an Olympic medal very soon.
From the January 2020 issue of FHM India.
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