Anup Sridhar Takes Charge as Singapore's Men's Singles Badminton Coach

2 months ago | 5 Views

NEW DELHI: Anup Sridhar, a former international badminton player and coach to PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen, has been appointed as the head coach for men's singles of the Singapore badminton team.

This development occurred in December when the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) reached out to the 41-year-old to lead their men's singles players, including former world champion Loh Kean Yew, in the upcoming Olympic cycle.

While Anup has chosen not to comment publicly on this appointment, a source close to him has confirmed the information. "Yes, he is going. The visa procedures are not yet finalized, which is why Anup cannot discuss the matter, but an official announcement is expected in about 2-3 weeks," stated the source, who requested anonymity.

Anup Sridhar will succeed the renowned coach Mulyo Handoyo, who resigned from his position in the middle of the previous year. Handoyo was instrumental in coaching the legendary Indonesian player Taufik Hidayat, leading him to victory at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2005 World Championships.

Since Handoyo's departure, the Singapore men's singles players have been without a dedicated head coach, with their women's coach, Kim Ji Hyun—who led Sindhu to World Championship gold in 2019—temporarily assuming those responsibilities during competitions. On Wednesday, Kim was present courtside to support Loh during his first-round match at the $950,000 India Open.

Although Indian coaches have previously taken positions abroad—such as Shlok Ramachandran, B Sai Praneeth, and Mohammed Siyaduttullah in the United States—this marks the first instance of an Indian serving as the head coach for a prominent badminton nation that boasts a former world champion among its ranks.

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!