Park Tae-Sang believes the back-to-back Super 300 titles won by Tanvi Sharma and Ashmita Chaliha offer an encouraging sign for Indian badminton, while stressing that the bigger challenge is still ahead. Sharma, 17, won the Taipei Open before Chaliha, 26, claimed the Korea Masters seven days later after returning from a career-threatening knee injury.
For Park, the consecutive titles represent more than a productive two-week stretch. The coach, who previously worked with PV Sindhu for four years in Hyderabad and was part of the run that ended with Olympic bronze at Tokyo, sees the results as evidence of the work being done with younger players at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati.
He said he was especially pleased by Chaliha’s success because it came in her first final, while Sharma’s victory marked her first BWF-level title. Both results arrived after three years of Park’s work within the national development setup.
Super 300 success is only the starting point
Park described the two titles as a good achievement, but made clear that he views them as stepping stones rather than an end point. His focus is on moving Sharma and Chaliha towards stronger fields at BWF 500, 750 and 1000-level tournaments.
The key date in that plan is May 1 next year, when the Olympic qualifying race for the 2028 Los Angeles Games begins. Park said next year will be important for both players, with a greater number of 500-level appearances planned and potential opportunities at 750-level events. He added that Chaliha’s result in Korea should improve her ranking enough to help her enter some of those tournaments.
The route to an Olympic place will not be straightforward. Park noted the competition already present among Indian women’s singles players, naming Sindhu and Unnati Hooda. Still, his emphasis remains on steady development rather than altering his established training methods.
He identified endurance, mental strength and on-court speed as areas in which Sharma and Chaliha must improve. Park also pointed to world No. 1 An Se-young as the standard his players should seek to reach, highlighting her mentality, physical strength and consistency in winning 750 and 1000-level events.
Park said the younger players need to become better at managing momentum swings during matches. He cited moments when a player can build a large lead before making an easy service or net error, saying he encourages them to calm down rather than rush to finish points. His regular instruction, he explained, is “Aaramse”.
Competition within India adds to Park’s optimism
Park sees a wider pool of players pushing one another as a positive for the women’s singles programme. Alongside Sharma and Chaliha, he mentioned Devika Sihag and Hooda as part of a competitive environment that can accelerate improvement.
He referenced Devika’s Thailand Masters title this year as an example he used to motivate Sharma and Chaliha. Park said players must maintain intensity in training and resist relaxing after a strong period of work, particularly when fatigue begins to set in.
His confidence also extends to the junior pathway. Park noted that India won both girls’ singles titles at the Under-17 and Under-15 Asian junior championships last year, describing the future of Indian badminton as strong. He also thanked the Badminton Association of India and the National Centre of Excellence for their support of Sharma, Chaliha and men’s singles player Ronak Chauhan, who won bronze at the US Open.
For now, the Taipei Open and Korea Masters trophies provide a clear marker of progress. Park’s message, however, is that the work has only begun as his players prepare for tougher tournaments and the long road towards Los Angeles 2028.
