Greysia Polii: Badminton Soldier
All players want to perform their best, but with Greysia Polii the difference was in how much that hunger radiated from her eyes.
· DEV SUKUMAR
The Indonesian achieved much in a long career, but the one image she leaves is of a warrior, bloodied and battered, yet ceaselessly plugging away. The effort was the triumph.
Somewhat untypically for an Indonesian player, her USP was not in any particular shots or style of play -- she was a solid, tireless player always on the lookout for opportunities. At the end of her career, Polii leaves behind a remarkable legacy.
Among the highlights of this legacy will surely be the longest match played – a gruelling 2 hour 41 minute rollercoaster in the semifinals of the Badminton Asia Championships 2016. Polii and her then-partner Nitya Krishinda Maheswari did lose that ultramarathon to Naoko Fukuman/Kurumi Yonao, but the grim fortitude which Polii showed was a recurring theme throughout her career.