NEW DELHI: When not involved in her day job, Thai shuttler Busanan Ongbamrungphan can sometimes be spotted keenly fixing a Lego during her leisure time. It's a game that she draws inspiration from. "It (Lego) makes me understand about the process. I start from nothing to make something. That's what the game taught me," she says with a chuckle.
This idea of Lego could be very relevant for her at the moment.
The year 2023 was not kind to her in terms of results. After a bout with leg injury, she could not quite find her rhythm. Placed 24th in the Race to Paris rankings, there are currently three shuttlers — only two shuttlers from a particular country can go to Paris — from Thailand who are placed above her. It's almost like she's building from scratch at the moment.
"I have to say I did not make a good start (Olympic qualification). When the Olympic qualification commenced, I had some leg injury. I'm getting much better now. We have many challengers and it's a healthy competition. I have to work harder and try to put in better performances. There's not much time, I hope I can do better than last year."
Away from the spotlight, Busanan has gotten off to an ideal start in the ongoing India Open, an event she won in 2022. After cruising past Yvonne Li of Germany (21-10, 21-13) in 40 minutes on Wednesday, she produced a massive upset barely twenty-four hours later. She beat No 3 seed and World No 4 Akane Yamaguchi 21-11, 21-19 to earn herself a spot in the quarterfinals. While Busanan was spot on with her shot selections, Yamaguchi, who is still getting used to the pace of the game after an injury break late last year, seemed to be moving laboriously.
Nevertheless, Busanan did what was asked of her and maintained a stranglehold of the contest throughout. Given that this is her first victory over the two-time world champ since 2015, this is a massive step forward for the mild-mannered shuttler. "I have wonderful memories here. It was tough in the second set. It was very hard to win the last point but I did it."
As she plots to repeat her 2022 feat - the India Open was then a Super 500 event then, the 27-year-old from Nonthaburi (located around 16km north of Bangkok) is just concentrating on staying healthy, both mentally and physically. "The body is very important. The mindset is crucial as well. I have to be healthy to be on top and my thought process, while on court, will also be vital," Busanan, who was part of the 2020 Olympics, notes.
Thailand has produced many notable shuttlers over the years. It's no surprise that the sport has had a huge influence on Busanan and her family. "Initially, I just played for fun with my family. I took part in a small competition in Thailand and I really got hooked. I got a small medal (bronze). I thought I could do very well. The main thing is I love the sport."
Given that she has been operating at the highest level for well over a decade now, she has crossed paths with India's PV Sindhu, who's one of the notable absentees in the ongoing India Open, on many occasions. Just like Busanan, Sindhu has had injury setbacks, leading to a dip in her form. "
"We are friends. We have been competing against each other for a long time. Since both of us have been playing high-level badminton for a very long time, the injuries are normal. I hope she will recover very soon. Let's see how it goes. Hopefully, both of us can play better." Just like her Lego activity, Busanan has been quietly building promise here so far. It remains to be seen if she can turn it into something substantial.