New Delhi, “First of all, I want to thank God,” said Kiran George, his voice filled with emotion as he reflected on his achievement.
The 24-year-old shuttler from Kerala had just secured his spot in the quarterfinals of a BWF Super 750 tournament at the India Open, marking a milestone in his career.
A late entry into the tournament, Kiran had seized the opportunity with both hands, delivering two stunning performances in the first two rounds.
His victory on the opening day against Japan’s Yushi Tanaka was nothing short of dramatic. Kiran saved three match points in a grueling physical battle, clinching a 21-19 14-21 27-25 win after an hour and 11 minutes of intense action.
On Thursday, the 24-year-old from Kerala showed his nerves of steel once again. Down in the opening game, he rose like a phoenix, sealing the contest with an eight-point burst to advance.
“I was just taking it one point at a time. I think that helped me secure the first set. I was just being patient,” said Kiran.
Hailing from a badminton family, Kiran’s journey began at the age of four in Kochi, where he was first introduced to the sport by his father, George Thomas, a former national champion and Arjuna awardee.
His mother, Preetha George also played badminton at the state level, and his brother Arun George is a player too.
Despite his strong lineage, Kiran’s journey to prominence has been a mixture of triumphs and struggles.
Since his breakthrough title run at the Odisha Open Super 100 in 2022, Kiran has caught the world’s attention with some stunning wins over higher-ranked players.
However, his search for a breakthrough continued as he battled with inconsistency.
He reached the finals of the Denmark Masters in 2022 and won the Indonesia Masters a year later, claiming his second Super 100 title, but once again struggled to maintain that level of performance.
Known for his variation and deceptive play, Kiran has often let matches slip away, with his coaches including Sagar Chopda working hard to instill the importance of perseverance. At times, he succeeded, but at other times, he faltered.
He has beaten top players, including China’s current world No. 1 Shi Yuqi and Weng Hong Yang in Thailand in 2023, and Lu Guang Zu at the Indonesia Masters Super 500 last year.
However, narrow losses, where he let advantages slip, became a habit he found difficult to shake off. Despite this, he persevered, correcting his mental and physical issues under the guidance of coaches at PPBA, waiting for his moment.
This week, it seemed fortune smiled upon him as he earned a late entry into the India Open and grabbed the opportunity with both hands in the first two rounds.
“I’ve been grinding, working hard, and fortunately, luck favoured me today,” said Kiran.
Kiran was down 1-6 and then 14-20 in the opening game but stayed calm and alert, reading his opponent’s deep smashes. In a desperate bid to close out the match, Alex Lanier committed a series of errors, allowing Kiran to seal the game with an eight-point burst.
The errors rattled Alex, who couldn’t find his rhythm after that. With his mistakes piling up, Kiran slowly edged towards his maiden quarterfinal spot at a Super 750 event.
Reflecting on his past struggles, Kiran acknowledged the lessons he had learned.
“Last year, I had three or four tournaments where I was leading, with match points at big events, including two Super 1000s. I was leading in the third set and gave away those matches,” he recalled.
“I’ve been working on it, which is why I think I could do it today. In practice, we have been simulating such situations. I think I’m at a good level now; I just need to be a little more consistent.”
While the future remains uncertain, it seems that Kiran has learned from his past experiences.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
