Interview: Carolina Marin - Would love to take tips from Rafael Nadal

Carolina Marin of Spain in action during her match against Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand during the Badminton World Championships at the Tianhe Gymnasium on August 9, 2013 in Guangzhou, China. (Photo by Victor Fraile/Getty Images)

This has been a sensational year for Carolina Marin. The left-handed Spaniard broke into the top-20 after a strong quarter-final performance at the World Championships, where she lost a stiff battle to eventual champion Ratchanok Intanon.

Marin has been in winning form this season, with title victories at the Finnish Open, Swedish International, and doughty performances against some of the best in the business, such as Wang Yihan and Saina Nehwal. In this interview with Dev S Sukumar, Marin talks of her evolution as a player and her ambitions:

That was a great performance at the World Championships…

It was good for Spanish badminton, as I was the first to play the quarterfinals of the World Championships. It’s a beginning. I need to continue, keep my focus, play tournaments, focus on practising, and take care against injuries.

What explained your run of form at the Worlds? Was it any special training you did?

I was outside home from June. After the Indonesia Open, I went to Singapore, then to Thailand to train at Ratchanok’s club for two weeks. Then I went to the US Open and Canada. Before the World Championships, I was in Indonesia with their national team. So it was good preparation. After the IBL I will go home because my body needs rest.

What did you learn from your stints in Thailand and Indonesia? How did your approach change?

I learnt that I have to keep focus on my practise. When you’re tired you don’t think about that. They practise so many hours. Even if they’re tired, they keep going and going, but in Spain we don’t do that. We practise a lot, but when you’re tired you don’t practise. But with this (Asian training), you get more confident.

Has the performance at the Worlds convinced you that you are top-ten material?

I can come to the top-ten level. One of my aims for this season was top-20, which I did – I’m No.19 now. I’m happy because that was my objective.

Has your country been following your performances? Does the press follow you?

My family, friends and association are happy with my performance (in the quarter-final). The President of the association watched my quarterfinal, and he was happy. He knew I was tired after beating the Korean (Sung Ji Hyun in the third round).

After the Worlds, many radio channels and newspapers are contacting me, and that’s important for badminton in my country.

Badminton was being covered in newspapers and TV for the first time. This is why it isn’t popular compared to soccer and basketball.

How will you manage sparring partners while training in Spain?

I join the national centre next year. I will play in Danish league this year. I would like to go to Indonesia or Thailand.

Thoughts on the IBL?

Of course I’m very happy; it’s a good team with friendly players. I like the atmosphere. This is my first visit to India.

Have you ever met Rafael Nadal?

Nadal is my idol, I would like to meet him. I thought I could meet him at the London Olympics, but he was in the US when I called him. Tennis is a very competitive sport, and he is very fit, so I would like to compare (my training) with his.