'I Want To Achieve What Lin Dan Did For China'

'If there's no financial support, talent doesn't get a chance to blossom.'

In the bustling badminton hall of Mangaluru, 20-year-old Mansi Singh from Lucknow stood out... not just for her fierce court presence but for the quiet resilience that defines her journey.

Currently ranked 95th in women's singles, Mansi won the women's singles crown at the India International Challenge in Mangaluru, defeating Ashmita Chaliha in straight sets 21-17, 22-20. Earlier, in September, she had won the gold medal at the senior All India badminton ranking tournament in Lucknow.

Mansi's tryst with badminton began in 2015, when she won her first competitive tournament. A year later, she won the state junior championship and the Under-13 All India title, early signs of a special talent.

By 2019, she had climbed her way through the age groups, winning the Junior Nationals and achieving a rare double at the Yonex-Sunrise All India sub-junior ranking tournament in Assam, where she won both singles and doubles crowns.

Then came 2020. Like many athletes, Mansi's rhythm was broken by the pandemic. But the setback didn't stop her.

The Mangaluru final marked her sixth final appearance in seven months with two titles to her name, but for Mansi, it's the consistency and steady growth that matter most.

On court, Mansi bears an uncanny resemblance to Saina Nehwal with short hair, sharp footwork, and fierce intent. "After Saina Didi's Olympic bronze, things changed in the country. She is definitely a lot of young girls' idol. But these days, I want to achieve what Lin Dan did for China."

Her father C P Singh is an engineer and her mother Anita Singh a homemaker, Mansi is their only child. "She juggled between swimming, tennis, and badminton during summer camps," recalls her father. "But her coaches told her to stick to badminton as she had something special."

As Mansi returned to the same courts where she first held a racquet, she couldn't help but reflect on her journey. "It feels like everything has come full circle," she says and the return has indeed brought results.

C P Singh, however, speaks with palpable concern. "Funds nahi hota hai toh talent nikharke nahi aata (If there's no financial support, talent doesn't get a chance to blossom)," he says.

"Finances acha hota hai toh you can have your own personal coach, trainer, dietician and things fall into place."

Mansi had earlier refined her game at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy, building a strong foundation. Her return to the SAI Centre in Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, under coaches Prem Lal Thakur and Neha Sood, has further sharpened her form and reignited her competitive edge.

"Last year, I participated in a few tournaments but wasn't very successful," she says. "I didn't give up hope. I learned from those losses, found out why I was losing, went back home, worked on those areas and that's why this season I've been reaping the benefits."

During matches, Mansi often glances at her father in the spectators' gallery, a small ritual between them. Win or lose a point, she listens to her coach's words but always looks for her father's reassuring presence.

A single clenched fist from him is all it takes to steady her nerves; calmness washes over her face before she resets and fights on.

For now, the father-daughter duo live out of Airbnbs, managing everything on their own. "It's Mansi who chalks out which tournaments to play," says her father. "From there on, either me or her mother takes over, arranging travel, stay, food. We are the dieticians, the psychologists, sometimes even the conditioning coach. Such is the apathy toward upcoming players."

Looking back, Mansi reckons she made mistakes early in her senior career. "I didn't know which tournaments fetched more ranking points. I made poor choices. But I've learned a lot this year," she says.

Her father beams with pride as he watches her progress. "With just her talent, she reached six finals in six tournaments. It's not easy," he says, his voice breaking slightly.

Daughter and father have endured their share of hardships but choose not to dwell on them. Their focus now is on continuing this momentum with the Syed Modi International in Lucknow up next, a tournament that feels like a symbolic return home for Mansi.