Two weeks ago, Sai Praneeth was the butt of a joke.
Top seed Jan O Jorgensen's withdrawal from the Malaysian Open, had handed the Indian qualifier a lucky spot in the main draw. Starting with an innocent forward in a WhatsApp group, comprising fellow Indian players as well as coach Pullela Gopichand, talking of his main draw entry, it rapidly turned into a light-hearted banter directed at Praneeth on the win he didn't have. Gopichand too was to mildly interject with a 'well played' jibe.
"Less than a fortnight ago we were pulling his leg over making the main draw," senior Indian men's player Parupalli Kashyap says, "Today he's only the fourth Indian to win a Superseries title." The other three Indians: Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth.
In his maiden Superseries final appearance on Sunday, Praneeth overcame compatriot Kidambi Srikanth 17-21, 21-17, 21-12, in what was certainly not among the most entertaining title contests, at the Singapore Open. Apart from this being the first instance of two Indians playing each other in a Superseries final it was also the first time two unseeded players did so in the history of the tournament. To think that Praneeth had never made it beyond the quarterfinals of a Superseries event or even won a Grand Prix Gold tournament, which is a rung below, in tier three of competitions, this win is nothing short of a breakthrough for the 24 year-old.
Over a patchy and fairly interrupted WhatsApp call, Praneeth sounded nothing like a delirious first-time winner. "I obviously wasn't expecting to come this far or win the title. It means a lot," he tells ESPN in a flat tone.
Despite being one of the most skillful players in the current Indian men's circuit, Praneeth isn't the most accomplished. Almost all his matches, barring the semifinals in the tournament have been three-set affairs, a habit Gopichand isn't too pleased about. He has the game, but struggles to find the right balance and the physical and mental strength to keep pushing.
Almost equally matched in age and rankings, Praneeth and Srikanth, who train together under coach Gopichand at his academy in Hyderabad, were far from enthused by the prospect of playing each other in the final. It was far too familiar for comfort. "Playing another Indian in the final can be quite frustrating," says Praneeth, who with this win extended his head-to-head record against Srikanth to 5-1. "We're thinking exactly the same things and know where the other will place a shot.
"To be facing someone you've played a thousand times before, practiced with another zillion times, had meals with three times a day and are around practically throughout the day daily, in a match, particularly for a title, can be an exasperating experience. You have to abandon all your favorite shots because you can't get away with it against someone who knows your game inside out. Emotionally too, you're left confused since you're close to the person who's on the other side of the net. You just don't know how to react."
Praneeth's easy passage into the second round of the tournament this time again was made possible after World No. 5 Jorgensen, whom he was to face in the first round, pulled out.
For Gopichand it was, for a change, an unemotional match. "Either way, gold was to be ours," he tells ESPN, "Srikanth was a little patchy and Praneeth, who was a favorite going into the match, played a better game towards the end." Ahead of the match on Saturday night, Gopichand chose not to send out any personal messages on the match to either of his two wards, posting his comments on the WhatsApp group, which both of them are a part of, instead.
"The focus was largely on fitness and my training sessions over the past one and a half months have really helped me rediscover my game. It was a crucial call. It's the reason why I have this medal today." Sai Praneeth
Though he missed the second game between Praneeth and Srikanth, Gopichand was certain that it would head to a decider. "The drift was such that it could go either way. Srikanth needs to develop his all-round game a bit more and reduce his over-dependence on smashes. The angles Praneeth managed to get in the third game were good and overall, I felt, it was a good match," he said.
After the finalists were decided on Saturday, assuring the country of two medals, the Indian support staff members were among the most relieved. "They had nothing left to do after the semifinals," Gopichand says, cracking up, "So they headed to Universal Studios."
With this title, won only by one other Indian, Saina Nehwal in 2010, Praneeth has lofted his reputation. On being reminded about the playful jabs that came his way after making the Malaysian Open main draw, Praneeth chuckles. "I have a lot more to win. GP Golds, more Superseries titles and the World Championship."
With this win, Praneeth has surely landed the punchline.