These days, whenever squash champion Joshna Chinappa receives a call or an email, it is often an invitation to feature in a new tournament. “Now, you are spoilt for choice,” says the Chennai-based sportswoman, “Every country in the world wants to hold tournaments.”
She isn’t complaining: the last two years of the pandemic have robbed her of precious match time. “Now, every athlete wants to play every tournament. The competition is really high. From round one, it is brutal.”
This is exactly why the 35-year-old, who returned to the top-10 world rankings earlier this year, is selecting her tournaments carefully. “I do not want to get caught in the rat race,” she admits, after launching sports performance brand ASICS’ new Lite-Show Collection in Chennai.
With the Commonwealth and Asian Games scheduled to take place in the next few months, Joshna is probably looking at the most important year of her sporting career. “With squash not being in the Olympics, this is our biggest platform to showcase our talent. You have the best countries playing these tournaments. My big dream was to play these, and I’m looking forward to them.”
What lies ahead
It is a stark contrast to her life over the last couple of years. “After a few months, I kept asking myself: What am I really training for? I did not know how much to push myself,” she admits. Since she could not play through much of the lockdown, the squash champ made the most of her unexpected down time by devouring the latest K-drama offerings. “It took my mind away from actual life,” she smiles, adding that her favourite was Crash Landing on You, a popular romantic comedy.
Today, not only does she feel physically rejuvenated — having worked with new coach Chris Walker a few weeks back — but is also in a good place mentally. Joshna says she has been working with a sports psychologist to stay focussed, which has been especially helpful since the advent of bio-bubbles.
“In most other sports, you have your teammates, manager and coach with you. But in squash, it’s literally you on your own if you’re in a bio bubble. I’ve been working with a sports psychologist for a decade now, with whom I can have conversations, especially when results are not going my way. When I lose against players ranked below me, I start questioning myself, and that’s when the team around me, including the psychologist, helps me gain confidence for what’s ahead.”
The American dream
A huge fan of athlete PT Usha, Joshna got into squash when she was just seven, because her parents had access to the facilities at the Madras Cricket Club. “Today, thanks to academies and public courts, everyone has access to squash. It gives youngsters not just a chance to excel in the sport, but also an opportunity to study in America, which is a huge hub for college squash. If you’re good at the sport and reach a decent level of proficiency, it gives many students the chance to get into prestigious colleges like Princeton, Harvard and Yale.” Joshna also had similar opportunities knocking her door when she was younger, but chose to stay put here. “I declined it, because my dream was to play for India,” she says.
Her sporting calendar this year has some of the biggest events — the World doubles championship in Glasgow (where she’ll team up with Dipika Pallikal), the Commonwealth in Birmingham and the Asian Games in Hangzou (China) — but Joshna keeps telling herself one thing: enjoy the sport.
“I started playing squash because it gave me joy. But after turning professional, winning and prize money came into the picture. When that happens, you suddenly don’t enjoy it that much, especially when you start losing. It’s important to keep going back to why you started out in the first place... and have fun with it. In your short span as an athlete, it really is important to enjoy all the moments that come with it.”
