KUALA LUMPUR: Indian doubles coach Tan Kim Her (pic) described his return to the Badminton Association of India (BAI) in December last year as an opportunity to complete some unfinished business.
Speaking during the Malaysian Open, Kim Her revealed that one of the reasons he was motivated to rejoin BAI was the sense of appreciation he received. Additionally, his former charges, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty, personally requested his return to guide them once more.
Kim Her was instrumental in grooming Satwiksairaj and Chirag into one of the most formidable men’s doubles pairs during his four-year stint in India, starting in 2015.
Even after he departed to Japan, the pair continued to thrive under Mathias Boe, attaining world No. 1 status, winning an Asian Games gold medal, and earning a bronze at the World Championships.
With his return to BAI, he has not only been tasked with nurturing new partnerships but also strengthening Satwiksairaj-Chirag’s standing as an elite doubles pair.
Kim Her will be with BAI until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“I was supposed to return to BAI at the end of 2021 after the Tokyo Olympics, but Japan didn’t release me at the time.
“It took me about two years to develop Satwiksairaj-Chirag back then, starting from scratch. I brought them along to International Challenge (IC) and International Series (IS) tournaments, and their rankings gradually climbed over time.
“Now that I’m back, I feel there’s no need to overhaul their game. I just need to fine-tune a few aspects, like their shots and rotation,” said Kim Her.
Kim Her explained that while BAI have not set any specific targets for him, the 53-year-old coach is personally determined to see Satwiksairaj and Chirag clinch several major titles, including the All-England and World Championships.
At the 2022 World Championships in Tokyo, Satwiksairaj and Chirag made history as the first Indian men’s doubles pair to win a medal at the event.
This achievement serves as a catalyst for them to aim for another historic milestone by capturing the championship title.
Meanwhile, in the long history of the All England, the world’s oldest badminton tournament, which dates back to 1899, no Indian men’s doubles pair has ever won the prestigious title.
“They have already won the Asian Games and the Asian Championships, so what I need from them now is to try and win major tournaments like the All-England and a few others.
“The All-England holds a special significance for India, and no Indian men’s doubles pair has ever won it,” he added.
