New Delhi, July 24 -- It's a match made in Poland over a decade ago. Manav Thakkar was 14 at the time and looked destined for an early exit from the tournament in 2014. It was then the young paddler heard someone egging him on, guiding him through each point. He won that game and the match, progressing to the final, where he finished runner-up. All along, the little voice was a constant source of support and guidance.

"Everyone at the court was like, who is this guy? The first time I turned, I saw this lanky kid with spiky hair. No one there thought Manush (Shah) was a player, but I had seen him on a few occasions as part of the cadets. He coached me that entire tournament and two years later, we teamed up as juniors on the national circ...