HYDERABAD: Amid the uneasy quiet caused by Saina Nehwal's repeated hints at retirement and PV Sindhu's indifferent form of late, Anmol Kharb has quietly announced her arrival on the big stage with two back-to-back titles.
Many pundits, including Pullela Gopichand, say the 17-year-old shuttler from Haryana can fill the gap, following her international triumphs in Belgium and Poland in the last two weeks.
Sunday last, she routed Milena Schnider of Switzerland 21-12, 21-8 in the final of the Poland Open. A week before that, Anmol started the Belgium Open as a qualifier and went on to win her first women's singles title with a 24-22, 12-21, 21-10 victory against Amalie Schulz of Denmark in Leuven.
And to think that she nearly missed the event. Anmol reached the Belgium Open venue an hour before her match after a long flight due to a visa issue. But she won seven straight matches to clinch the title.
Anmol is also credited with helping the Indian women win the Badminton Asia Team Championship by pulling off crucial matches against top-ranked opponents in February. A gritty player, Anmol became the women's national champion last year when she was just 16.
It is this never-say-die attitude and her willingness to work hard with a smile that makes Gopichand see a Saina in Anmol.
"She is like Saina, very gritty and never leaves without putting up a tough fight," Gopichand told TOI on Tuesday after Anmol won her second international title in Poland.
Gopichand, who shaped the careers of Saina, Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth and several others, is not surprised by Anmol's progress. "I am not at all surprised by her results. She will win more tournaments. A few basics in her game need correction. She has a good future and is on the right track," Gopichand added.
A big fan of Saina, Anmol is being trained by Saina's husband Parupalli Kashyap, RMV Gurusaidutt and former international Rahul Yadav.
Currently ranked 165th, Anmol's target is to get into the top-15 as soon as possible. In a bid to improve her ranking, the teen is busy collecting ranking points by winning as many tournaments as possible.
