The target is to win all the elite events in this cycle

There is a reason why Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty call Tan Kim Her their 'daddy'. It was after all the Malaysian coach who first paired them up, even though it was against their wishes, a decade ago.

- Sandip Sikdar

NEW DELHI:

It was Tan's brainwave that developed into the greatest doubles pairing the country has seen with Satwik and Chirag achieving several firsts and laurels. Though the 53-year-old left Indian shores in 2019 after a four-year stint, he returned to the setup as India's doubles coach last month after guiding Japan to unprecedented success, reuniting with the pair that attained the world No. 1 ranking not so long ago.

Tan discusses his relationship with Satwik and Chirag, how he can push the world No. 9 combine further and his targets in an interview. Excerpts:

How does it feel to be back in India after five-and-a-half years?

It's always good to be back. India has given me a lot of (good) memories. When I first came here (2015) I just put in everything, all my efforts. The players were also dedicated and trusted me. Not only Satwik-Chirag, the others too. So, I feel like it's my home. The seeds were sown back then. Now I see the fruit growing. It gives me happiness.

You left in 2019 when Satwik-Chirag were upcoming. Now they are a top pair. How do you see the transition?