11 August,2009 07:19 AM IST | | Sanjay Sharma
While the eighth seeded mixed doubles combination of Jwala Gutta and V Diju got a walkover in the first round match from their English opponents who left Hyderabad the night before chasing ghosts in the name of a security threat, the men's doubles combination of Sanave Thomas and Rupesh Kumar crashed out in the opening round against 14th seeded Japanese pairing of Kenichi Hayakawa and Kenta Kazuno, losing 13-21, 21-23.
Rupesh and Sanave, the five-times national champions, lost the first game rather tamely but had a glorious chance in the second when they battled their way to a 17-14 and 20-16 lead.
"We really had them on the run. Rupesh was serving well and I had a couple of good points on the net. But suddenly, the game changed and they caught us on the wrong foot," said a downcast Sanave.
What made the difference in the final analysis was the Japanese coaching bench. Their chief coach Park Joo Bong is a living legend of the game, having won everything the sport had to offer in the 1980s and 1990s.
A coach can now sit on the sidelines and offer tips after a rally. Park, the tactical genius, never bothered to speak to his wards in the first game as they were cruising. But with the score going neck and neck in the second, Park started being vocal. That made all the difference.
"I told my boys to not allow Thomas anywhere near the net as he is dangerous in that area. It is okay to defend as long as you play the shuttle long," Park said. "I kept on saying this and from 16-20 they led 21-20 in one serve. I also told them not to worry and serve fast and flat so that you force them into mistakes."
