FORMER national men’s shuttler P. Kantharoopan learnt how to sell golf products after ending his competitive playing career with the national team in 1998. However, the grass was not greener on the other side and he returned to the game that he knew well instead. Despite constant persuasion to pick up golf, the 38-year-old said his mind was still on racquet sport. After having stopped playing under the national banner, Kantha, as he is aptly called, said he took up an administrative role with the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) before joining the golf industry. “I did not find golf interesting. So, I quit after two years and worked with the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) as the sports unit clerk before deciding to go on my own,” he added. In 2005, Kantha found renewed freedom. He ventured into providing services related to badminton including coaching, managing events and selling badminton equipment. “So far, it has been a fulfilling experience assisting others to host junior and social tournaments. We manage between 10 and 15 tournaments a year. “Over the years, I have had the chance to explore other opportunities in this interesting game,” he said. Kantha, who started playing badminton at the age of eight, was one of the top junior shuttlers in his time. He bagged a double by winning the boys’ Under-15 singles and doubles at the Malaysian Schools Sports Council meet in 1987. Besides settling for second in the boys’ Under-18 singles at the national junior championships in 1988, he was part of the Kuala Lumpur victorious team winning the back-to-back team event at the biennial Malaysia Games in 1988 and 1990. “Back then, it was fun competing at national junior level. I was doing well and I was not concerned about anything. I felt the pressure in making the breakthroughs and delivering the results when I was in the national training squad,” Kantha said. Although he registered a career high of being ranked No 32 in the world ranking in 1994, the Thomas Cup trainee failed to make the cut into the final line-up as the more notable players such as Rashid Sidek, Ong Ewe Hock and Foo Kok Keong were the favourites for the top three men’s singles slots. Pang Chen and Yong Hock Kin filled the singles department in 1996 campaign followed by the emergence of Roslin Hashim and Wong Choong Hann in 1998. Kantha admitted the other superior shuttlers were better candidates in forming the Malaysian team then. On the local scene, Kantha chalked up his best achievement in 1995 when he partnered Tan Kim Her to emerge champions in the the men’s doubles at the Kelantan Open. “Usually, I only featured in the singles. I teamed up with Kim Her because his regular partner (Yap Kim Hock) was injured. That was the only time that I was fielded for two events. In the same tournament, I also entered the singles final. I also made it to two other finals — Sarawak Open in 1995 and Johor Open in 1996,” he recalled. At international level, Kantha savoured a respectable season making it to the semi-finals at the Brunei Open and the US Open in 1995. And Kantha will not forget the way he let the more fancied Indonesian-born Fung Permadi off the hook for a place in the final at the Brunei Open. Kantha said it was the closest that he came to creating a major upset against a higher ranked opponent. Fung finally won the tie in three games. “Based on my achievements, I have nothing to shout about. Looking back, it would be great to have performed better. I can still remember vividly the misery of not having the little extra to pull it off against Fung. It is the same agonising story of holding match point and could not finish him off at 14-12. He forced deuce and I went ahead again with the 2-1 advantage. It was not enough to deny him from advancing,” he added. During his tenure with the national training camp starting 1989, Kantha has gone through six coaches and he rated four-time All-England men’s singles winner Morten Frost as the best master in his final two seasons with the national side. “I had more chance to compete and gained exposure at international tournaments under his (Frost) care,” he added. Kantha was also invited to feature for Neustaz Bad Herrenhalb in the German league from 2005 to 2008. “It was an eye-opening experiencing at the well structured club system in Germany. I also had a sweet debut as the club earned the promotion to Division Two before returning to join the fray in Division Three,” he said. FACT FILE Name: P. Kantharoopan Date of Birth: July 7, 1972 Hometown: Kuala Lumpur Occupation: Coach Hobby: Reading Favourite Sports Personality: Diego Maradona (Argentina) Education: Pasar Road primary school Victoria Institution Achievements: MSSM boys’ Under-15 singles and doubles champion (1987) National junior boys’ Under-18 singles runner-up (1988) Malaysia Games team event champion (1988 and 1990) Kelantan Open men’s singles runner-up and doubles champion (1995) Sarawak Open runner-up (1995) Brunei Open and US Open semi-finalist (1995) Malaysian Open quarter-finalist (1996) Johor Open runner-up (1996) Coaching Qualification: BAM Level One
FORMER national men’s shuttler P. Kantharoopan learnt how to sell golf products after ending his competitive playing career with the national team in 1998.