Saina Nehwal inspired me to pick up the racquet, says badminton prodigy Manya Ratti

Class 6 student Manya Ratti impressed everybody in the audience with her racquet skills and lightning reflexes, in the district badminton championship held recently. In an interview, she tells us about her motivations, training routine and future ambitions.

Who is your favourite badminton player?
Saina Nehwal is my favourite badminton player. I like former Malaysian champion Lee Chong Wei a lot as well.  

Please tell us a little about your training routine?
I go to the stadium at nine in the morning. I have my first training session from nine to twelve. Then another session from four in the afternoon to seven in the evening. My diet includes lots of bananas, eggs and milk.

How did the school help you in preparing for the championship?

Not just do my teachers send me the homework, they also help out with my attendance whenever I am playing a tournament.

What are the strengths and weaknesses in your game?

My strength is parallel shot and my weakness is the drop shot. I have to improve on that. I am working on it currently.

Could you tell us about your experience playing in the tournament?
It was a great experience for me. I really enjoyed the championship. I played in three categories in all:  one Singles event and two Doubles events. I think I played more than seven matches in the tournament. The competition was very tough.  It gave me a great opportunity to learn and test my skills.

 At what age did you start playing badminton?

I started playing when I was in Class 2. I used to play out of fun then. I was not sure at all that I would aim to pursue badminton professionally one day.

Who is your inspiration behind choosing badminton?
I got really inspired by Saina Nehwal. I saw Saina’s matches on television. Her stellar performances inspired me to pick up the racquet.

Whose performance have inspired you in the badminton event at the recently held Tokyo Olympics?

Two-times medal winner P V Sindhu inspired me a lot. Her performances were simply great.

What are the next tournaments you are preparing for?

Next in line, I have the state championships in Mohali. I am focused on it as of now and am preparing well.

Your father Gagan Ratti is your coach.  Please tell us how he prepared you for the tournament?

He always inspires me to be a champion. That’s his training mantra.  Also my father’s academy has a great environment for learning and development.  Many talented players come to practice there. I get to learn a lot.