Sathiyan in action in Poland

The 28-year-old Sathiyan is representing Sokolow SA Jaroslaw. He reached Poland on Friday and will return on April 14. The Chennai-based player said that participating in the Polish league would keep him match fit as several competitions are either being cancelled or postponed due to the coronavirus.

“It is a tough competition. So, I wanted to compete to get the benefit of match practice in times of the pandemic,” he told IANS. In the quarter-finals, the Indian player won a crucial singles game to help his team beat Bydgoszcz team 3-1 and enter the last-four stage. The semi-finals will be played on April 7.

Last month, the national champion had made the cut for the Olympics men’s singles event during the Asian qualification tournament held in Doha. “It was a tough quarter-final. The semis could be more challenging. Hope my team enters the final.”

Due to the new wave of coronavirus in Europe, there is a lockdown in several cities in Poland too. “We are staying in a bio-bubble. We are not allowed to venture outside the hotel or the stadium. All the shops and restaurants are shut. The local government has allowed players from outside to compete because it is a professional league. I am just focusing on the tournament,” he added. Apart from Sathiyan, experienced campaigner Sharath Kamal Achanta has qualified for the postponed Olympic Games in Japan.