Kerala’s badminton duo Bjorn-Aathish coping with competition at higher level

Winning feeling: Bjorn Jaison and P.V. Aathish Sreenivas with the Kerala junior badminton championships under-17 title.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

They live and train separately in different cities and hardly meet each other, except during tournaments, yet their on-court chemistry is so good that it seems Bjorn Jaison and P.V. Aathish Sreenivas have been playing together for ages.

The duo created a sensation last year when they won a bronze medal in the under-15 boys’ doubles at the Asian Junior badminton championships in Thailand.

Bjorn and Aathish are the latest set of players to join the illustrious list of doubles specialists from Kerala. They lived up to their billing as the favourites and won the doubles title in the under-17 category in the recent State junior badminton championships at Karunagappally as well.

It was their first State title after moving to the higher age category.

Life wasn’t easy for them in the higher age group level. After dominating the opponents in the under-15 category, the duo was knocked out in the opening rounds of the first two all-India ranking tournaments they took part in this year.

Change of fortune

However, they seemed to have turned things around when they reached the semifinals in the all-India ranking tournament held in Lucknow earlier this month. The performance in the Lucknow event has boosted their confidence and duo is coming to terms with dealing with quality opposition in the higher age category.

“Everything was different in the under-17 category. The players were stronger and so were their smashes. The rallies were longer and we learnt that we have to be patient to win points. We struggled initially. We have now started analysing our opponents and we plan our strategies in consultation with our coaches, ’’ said Bjorn while Aatish nodded in acknowledgement.

Confident

They are confident of replicating their under-15 success in the under-17 category as well.

“We play similarly and know each other’s game other pretty well and we cover up for each other’s weaknesses as well. We are confident that we will be able to carry on our good work in the under-17 category too,‘’ they added.

While Bjorn plays singles and is the reigning under-17 champion, Aathish is a doubles specialists.

“It is tough to play both singles and doubles in tournaments and I am working on my fitness and endurance,’’ said Bjorn.

Satwiksairaj and Chirag Shetty are their idols and the youngsters are hopeful that one day they will be able to emulate the feat of their heroes.