CHENNAI: Indian paddlers proved their prowess by winning two bronze medals for the first time at the Asian Games in August. Now, several teenagers are taking the sport seriously. One among them is Kavyasree Bhaskar, who recently displayed a tremendous show at the Serbian Junior & Cadet Open table tennis tournament.
Kavya, a 13-year-old Chennai girl, went down fighting against China’s Li Zeyan in the semifinal to win a bronze medal in Serbia. This was her first international victory. But, winning is not new for Kavya. At the age of seven, she played her first state-ranking tournament in the mini-cadet category. It didn’t take much time to set her sights on titles as she clinched back-to-back gold medals in the state ranking tournaments in the U-10 section. And then on, there has been no looking back for Kavya as she kept winning titles in various tournaments — state, national and international levels. Of 15 state-level tournaments, she sealed top spots in 14.
In August 2017, the junior paddler went on to become the only girl from Asia to get selected for the Hopes Program, which is for U-12 players and is conducted by the world body, International Table Tennis Federation. They select three players from a continent and one among them was Kavya, who is currently ranked India No 3 in girls sub-junior category.
But, Kavya had to face rejections. “When she was all set to play for the ITTF tournaments in the European countries through Hopes Program, Kavya’s visa got rejected. The countries she was supposed to play in had restrictions for minors to travel to participate in sporting events. She was taken aback when she learned there were restrictions to play abroad. She wanted to make the best use of Hopes Program in the international circuit. But now, she is focused on her game rather than where she is playing,” said Kavya’s father, M Bhaskar.
Kavya studies in class 7 at Madras Christian College campus in Tambaram. Striking a balance between education and sports at a tender age is tough, but the national champion pulled it off with ease. “She is very good at her academics and is always the class topper,” added Bhaskar. “Kavya’s schedule was hectic, but she is used to it now. She practices for four to six hours daily, and she spends her spare time focussing on fitness, soft skills, and her studies,” he said.
Talking about Kavya’s strengths, her coach Vasu, who runs MVM Table Tennis Academy, said, “She is one of the best players in our academy. It is very rare to find teenagers who are focused. She is very mature for her age. She will definitely reach heights in her future.”