GUWAHATI: It was a case of so close, yet so far for promising shuttler Tanvi Sharma.
The teenage sensation was throwing the kitchen sink, employing every trick in her playbook in a bid to keep her dreams of becoming a junior world champion alive at the National Centre of Excellence (NCE), here on Sunday. The final-day crowd, which was the biggest throughout the campaign, were unison in their cheers and were offering her moral support throughout the match.
Feint shots, net shots, her preferred smashes - both forehand and down the line. Heck, she even employed the rare short service, something she had not used a single time coming into the final. But all that to no avail as Anyapat Phichitpreechasak, her opposite number in the women's singles final of the BWF World Junior Championships, was just too powerful.
The Hoshiapur girl, who was looking to emulate Saina Nehwal, was second-best for large parts of the contest as her Thai opponent had answers for everything that was thrown at her. The nimble-footed Thai shuttler was especially dominant in front of the net, producing inch-perfect angled returns that had the Indian in a spot of bother on several occasions.
When Tanvi, who later admitted being a bit nervous, tried to attack her back court, Anyapat was effective in equal measure with her flat returns and good follow-ups. And her skills also matched her endurance as she was covering all lengths of the court like a seasoned operator. After conceding the opening game, Tanvi did display heart, showing signs of a potential fightback. But just when she had manufactured a decent lead, she was guilty of untimely errors to let Anyapat off the hook. Tanvi was guilty of squandering a commanding position on several occasions. Tanvi continued to battle hard, fetching a few points in the process. But it was too little, too late.
The Indian lost 7-15, 12-15 in 28 minutes. Tanvi, while reflecting on the match, rued her unforced errors and also highlighted her opponent's strong game sense.
"From the start itself I was making many unforced errors but at the second game, I had a 8-5 lead and I had my confidence back. But again I made some unforced errors, but then my coach told me to 'play everything'. I tried to play rallies but it didn't work," Tanvi said.
"She was reading the game very well today (Sunday). I was hitting many deceptions but she knew where I was hitting," she added.
The Indian, who trains at the NCE, was looking to become the first Indian after Saina to capture a gold medal in the marquee meet. Nevertheless, the silver medal is a welcome result for Tanvi, who's expected to build on this experience and become a more-rounded player in the near future. "I'm happy that I won a silver medal at my home ground. It means a lot to me."
After taking lessons from this campaign, she will be determined to change the colour of the medal in the next final that she features.
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