India’s TT coach Massimo Costantini’s mantra for success: ‘Medals will only come when Indian players are convinced there’s no expectation’

When Diya Chitale and Manush Shah won the WTT Contender at Muscat on January 23, coach Massimo deployed the same rule in the timeouts. “I’ll stay quiet for the first 20-30 seconds, let them process their game. And then I’ll reiterate the same tactical solution — to play their specific skills. With Indians, you need to teach them to get comfortable with their skills without pulling on pressure. Apparently it worked,” he chuckles, ahead of the Chennai WTT Contender that’s underway.

Chennai is the first pitstop in what is always TT’s whirlwind globetrotting preparation — there’s Singapore Smash, World Championships at Chongqing, Contenders at Nigeria, Croatia, Slovenia, USA, before the Asiad. “But yes, I will look for training slabs between tournaments at home and definitely in Japan before the September Games. Because the best moments to learn are in competition.”

While pressure from 9-9 score situations keeps witnessing Indians bottle those moments internationally, Costantini reckons he is going to patch up those puncturing bubbles. “Indians won’t perform if you keep harping on expectations or how high the stakes are high. Before Asiad there will be pressure from their families, the government, coaches, media. But my job is to remind them of their skills because medals tend to come when there’s no hope,” he says.

The Italian is aiming for three women and three men in the Top 50 before the Asian Games, while there’s a good crop of 5-6 in the Top 100 in men. “The girls will bounce back and deliver. And don’t be surprised if Manav (Thakkar) cracks the Top 25 in next 2-3 months,” he says about India’s best ranked at No.33.

Last year this time, Manav was at No.78. “A moment comes in an athlete’s life when his skills, fitness, experience bring you confidence to push forward. After many years of trying a lot of things, Manav has cracked that. Recently against (Chinese No.3) Lin Shidong, Manav very much had him in trouble where the Chinese kept defending. Though he couldn’t finish up, Manav is a threat for every player,” Costantini says. The Indian had a few close matches with the likes of No.5 Truls Moregard. What’s spiked up noticeably is Manav’s speed these last few months that has seen him trouble big names.

While there’s big hopes from Sreeja Akula and Manika Batra, Costantini notes that the likes of Syndrella Das and Divyanshi Bhowmick who won their first seniors doubles title recently have impressed him, with 18-year-old Abhinandan.

But he says India hasn’t heard the last of Ayhika Mukherjee, who medalled last time with Sutirtha. Though she’s taken her time to shrug off injuries, the giant killer remains the most underrated over delivering paddler, despite her 80s ranking.

“She’s performed and rattled the Chinese,” he says. Once she beat the top Chinese 30 minutes after confiding in Costantini that ‘I have no chance against her.’ “Ayhika needs to trust her own abilities more. And she needs specific equipment (pimple rubber) to confuse her opponents,” he says enigmatically. “She’s one player that’s good to win every match against any player,” he stresses. ‘Zero expectations — top self belief’ — remains the Italian’s mantra.