A good 20 years after Malaysian badminton icon Datuk Misbun Sidek produced his third World No. 1 in Lee Chong Wei in 2006, the renowned coach is stationed at Thiruthangal’s Hatsun Badminton Academy. The spry coach, a grandfather now, still lands on the court at 5 a.m. daily, and in his first week at the academy’s courts in Virudhunagar district, was the last man standing after introducing the trainees to a basic fitness module — leaving them breathless and panting, but acutely aware of the tough regimen he brings. “Indians have excellent skills and in the early rounds of top tournaments it’s fine. But can they maintain fitness levels on the seventh day of the tournament when it’ll be the finals? I’m going to push them hard to ensure they can handle the intensity,” he declares. The sport has changed since Misbun trained brothers Rashid Sidek (1997) and Roslin Hashim (2001) to their respective World No. 1 climbs. At Hatsun, he trains India’s reigning national champion Rithvik Sanjeevi Satish Kumar, hoping to level up his …