Matthew and Dhanuj have now entered their first few official Badminton England ranking tournaments. Both boys train in Redhill and these events are a big step up. These are open tournaments, often with full draws and strong players travelling from across the country. It’s a different environment; larger halls, unknown opponents, higher pace; and both boys are learning quickly what that means.
Matthew played in two tournaments this year: the SBA U11 Bronze in Oxford and TheDKWay U11 Bronze in Brackley. Dhanuj entered both of those as well, plus the Kent U11 Bronze earlier in the year.
They’re both putting in solid work at training, and neither of them is afraid of hard matches. These tournaments haven’t been easy. Most of the scores have gone the other way; but that’s the point. If it’s all wins, you’re not in the right environment to grow.
“I thought my performance was great”, Matthew said about his first tournament, “even though I didn’t get the outcome I wanted.”
The scores don’t reflect the technical progress they’re making. Matthew, for example, was able to put points together under pressure and even closed out a couple of tight games. He’s also getting exposure to different styles; some aggressive, some tactical and some unorthodox. That matters. Players need that kind of variety to develop adaptability on court.
“My coaches tell me that winning comes later”, he added. “I always play the sport for the fun”.
Both players were placed in the lower knockouts after group stages, but they kept competing, stayed focused and played out all their matches. In Brackley, Dhanuj managed to push through to the quarter-finals of his draw and even had a deuce game in the last match he played. It’s all experience. You only learn how to manage those moments by being in them.
Dhanuj said he especially enjoyed the singles, where it’s “all on you”, and added that he’s already excited for the next one.
Matthew echoed that view: “These tournaments provide a lot of new skills … I’m already looking forward to the next one”.
There’s still a long way to go. But they’ve started well: with the right mindset, a willingness to learn and the maturity to keep enjoying the game regardless of the scoreboard.
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