At 37, Sharath Kamal Achanta has logged plenty of miles. Owner of a record nine Indian men's singles national championships, Achanta maintains top ranking in his homeland, but up-and-comers like Sathiyan Gnanasekaran are nipping at his heels. A recent tweet showed Achanta resuming practice, his first action since winning the Oman Open in March. "The sportsperson's body is like a sports car," says Achanta. "The moment you stop taking care of it, it gets rusty and doesn't perform." Despite the need for speed, Achanta has learned to balance this drive with time in the garage. "I have been taking an annual one month break for the last 3-4 years," reveals Achanta. "At my age, I think it is important to take a mental and physical break and it also allows me to spend some time with my family. I try to unwind during that period and come back with a fresh mentality." Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone is getting a break from the action, whether they want it or not. Achanta is still gunning for his fourth Olympic appearance, even though he will be pushing forty when the postponed games are finally held. He hopes he can use the extra down time to his advantage. "The advantage that I have, being an experienced player, is that I know what parts of my game I will work on once I return," Achanta confides. "Mostly, I will look to sharpen my strengths rather than work on my weaknesses." Despite some inevitable concessions to age, this sports car has plenty left in the tank.

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