In August 2023, Mithun Manjunath was in sporting dreamland. He was ranked just outside the top-40, had just beaten the then World No.7 and former World Champion Loh Kean Yew, and was bought for a handsome Rs 14.5 lakhs at the Grand Prix Badminton League (GPBL) auction. Two months after that, he was part of the Indian team that won a historic team silver at the Asian Games.
In the 12 months since that high, Mithun has seen his fortunes nosedive. From a career high rank of No. 33 in January 2023, he is now 79. From March to October, he was troubled by back spasms which ensured that he won back-to-back main draw matches on the BWF World Tour just once all year – at the Thailand Masters way back in January-February.
It is only now that he is picking up the pieces. Last month at the CM Trophy India International in Raipur, he stood first. On Monday, watched on by the legendary Prakash Padukone, he entered the singles final of the Senior Nationals, a title he won in early 2023. Competition may not have been of the highest standard, but the winning feeling is what athletes crave for.
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“I know that I have the game and I know how to play,” Mithun told Sportstar. “I just need to bounce back”.
The back injury was the first serious crisis in Mithun’s career. “We didn’t know what to do,” he recollected. “I was actually okay. But the moment I got to a tournament, the pain would come back. I was doing everything, fitness, rehab… but I still had that injury. But once I started my recovery at a slow pace, it was better. Now, I am okay and my mindset is good”.
At 26, one may feel that it is too late for Mithun to shine on the international stage, but he remains singularly focused.
“That [GPBL] bid amount showed by value. I got the highest bid. I was a bit worried when the GPBL did not happen, but it showed how people portrayed me and how they wanted me in the team. Now, I just want to return to where I was and improve further”.
