Yash Fadte aiming to break into the senior category

With the hope of moving to the big league, Yash Fadte wants to bank on his fitness to climb the heights.

Yash Fadte.

From: Vasco, Goa

Education: Class XII

Discipline: Squash

Mentor: Dilip Fadte

Favourite player: Jehangir Khan

Aim: To win a World Junior Championship title and break into the senior category soon.

Beginning: Coming from a family of sportsmen — his father Dilip Fadte and uncle Namdev Fadte are prominent Ranji Trophy players from Goa — he was introduced to squash at the age of seven. After retiring from cricket, his father played squash at the Naval Club in Dabolim and he would accompany him. He took a liking to the sport and pursued it seriously.

In 2009, he travelled to Mumbai for a squash meet at Bombay Gymkhana and finished second. Even now, he travels to Mumbai every week to train at the Cricket Club of India courts.

Strengths: When Yash started playing the game, he had no training partners. So, his father, who is also his coach, had asked him to focus on fitness. And the youngster feels that fitness is his biggest strength.

Weakness: While he wants to be calmer and more composed when on court, he needs to be more patient and handle tough situations better.

Focus area: Learning how to control his emotions in big-ticket tournaments. With the Squash Racquet Federation of India conducting regular fitness camps for the players, Yash hopes to work on his weaknesses.

Before the World Junior Championships in Chennai in July 2018, he had a session with Ramji Srinivasan, former Indian cricket team trainer, and Yash feels that it helped him a lot.

With the hope of moving to the big league, Yash wants to bank on his fitness to climb the heights.

Yash Fadte in action against Yannick Wilhelmi of Switzerland at the World Junior Squash Championship in Chennai. The youngster travels to Mumbai every week to train at the Cricket Club of India courts.

What they say Dilip Fadte (father and coach): Squash has evolved over the years and there is hardly any difference between the senior and junior categories these days. And that’s why I make it a point to watch all his matches and then jot down the negative points. Later, we discuss the problem and try to solve it. This strategy has helped since Yash is an obedient student. After every match, I also talk to the opponent and the coach to know what they feel about Yash’s performance. With various insights and observations, this process has helped him so far. He is a disciplined player and is always willing to learn.

 

Career graph

• Won the US Junior Open last year, becoming the first Indian to win the U-17 championship.
• At the age of 15, he became the youngest Indian to represent the country at the World Junior Squash Championship in New Zealand in 2017.
• Won the Junior National Championship title in 2014 and 2016.
• Silver medallist at the Asian Junior Championship in 2014.
• Won the Pioneer German Junior Open Champion in 2014.
• Won the Indian Junior Open Championship thrice.