Comeback was tough, says Ajay Jayaram

Jayaram, seeded 13th, rallied to beat unseeded Indonesian Ihsan Maulana Mustofa 10-11, 11-6, 11-7, 1-11, 11-9 in the final at Almere, played under the new 11x5 scoring system.

It was a moment to cherish for Jayaram, as the title win had come after months of struggle with a torn shoulder muscle. The period also saw him slip in rankings from 21st in January to 66th currently and confidence. Moreover, the Bengaluru-based shuttler’s name was removed from the Indian core group for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“I am elated with the win. It has been a tough last few months. It took me a while to get back the match temperament and touch. But I am happy to get a much-needed win,” the 27-year-old told this paper from Amsterdam.

“The comeback was not easy. I had lost touch of match situations. But I knew it was a matter of perseverance and keeping the effort going. I’m happy it’s paying off now,” he added.

Jayaram also became the first Indian to win a tournament under the new scoring system.

“Although the game gets shorter, most of the matches are played under more pressure which need more focus and concentration. It is hard to say if it is the way to go for badminton, but I’m glad I was able to adjust to it and do well,” he said.

Jayaram’s coach Tom John said the win would help his ward return to the top on the men’s circuit. “It was a difficult past few months to get him ready. We had to change his training routine and make him work harder. The win has boosted his confidence,” John said.

Jayaram says his focus is on the GP level before graduating to the super series. “If I am able to maintain the same positive tempo, I’m sure I will be back stronger than before,” said the shuttler, who plays the Swiss Challenge this week.