After four dominant seasons and two back-to-back state appearances, senior Anika Gupta is ready to make her mark in her final year on Oak Park and River Forest High School’s varsity badminton team.  Gupta, a powerhouse on the court with a strong background in tennis, has become a leader on the team and a top competitor in the state. 

“Badminton is often overlooked, and I know so many people who don’t consider it a sport but in reality, it can be just as demanding and physically challenging…this is truly a unique sport,” Gupta said.

As her senior season is beginning, Gupta is determined to return to state for a third year and make this her best run yet.

“Anika is a phenomenal athlete who models by example. She plays very hard and it’s evident just how much time she puts in,” said Badminton Head Coach Paul Wright.

Wright has been the head coach for the past 13 seasons after previously coaching both girls and boys soccer. Since then, he’s fallen in love with the sport and has had his girls qualify for the state tournament for the past 12 years in a row.

Badminton is a fast-paced sport, similar to tennis, where players use a racket to hit a birdie over a net. The goal is to land the birdie in the opponent’s court. Games are played to 21 points, and players must win by at least two points. At the high school level, students compete in singles or doubles, earning points based on match wins.

Badminton, a previously lesser-known sport at OPRF, has been gaining popularity in recent years with increasing numbers of girls trying out every single year.

“Usually, we have about 60 girls try out and we have to cut 25-27 of them,” said Wright. To mitigate this, the team is piloting a junior varsity 2 team in addition to its freshman, junior varsity and varsity teams. “We only had to cut five girls this year,” Wright added.

However, most girls who try out do not have badminton experience unless they have previously participated in the summer camps hosted by OPRF, Gupta included. 

Instead, Gupta carries with her a lifetime of tennis experience. “Although tennis and badminton are very different, I feel having a background in tennis has helped me grow as a badminton player. Both can be very fast-paced, and many of the motions are similar, which has been super helpful.” 

Gupta’s new doubles partner this year, senior Josie Badrinath, shares that same background. “I…joined sophomore year when my friend Alice Cadwell and I went to the tryouts for fun. Since we both play tennis, we thought it would be a fun sport to try,” she said. 

Cadwell, a senior, also has played tennis for a substantial amount of her life noting that, “Anika…already has good hand-eye coordination, but she also has a good mental game. She doesn’t let her opponent see what she feels or what she’s thinking about.”

The footwork, precision and strategic mindset developed in tennis seamlessly translate to badminton, giving both girls an edge over their competition. “Anika sets herself up for success by looking for skills and habits in other players and picks up on where they lack. She has this unique ability to self-reflect and assess, which not many other players do,” Wright said.

Beyond her individual talent, Gupta thrives as a teammate. Whether that is competing in doubles or simply rallying with her teammates during morning practices, she brings energy and focus to every match. 

Cadwell said, “Anika is very good at not showing how she feels during a game. It’s nice to have a presence that doesn’t feel negative during practice…she’s very focused.”

“[Anika] has shaped the badminton environment by making it a competitive and welcoming space for all who want to play,” Badrinath added. 

Cheering for other players helps create that environment, according to Gupta. “We always try to have fun and [us seniors] are very supportive during matches,” she said. “If I am…not playing, I am always finding a court to sit by and cheer for.” 

Gupta’s leadership extends beyond her performance as she takes time to help younger players improve their technique and strategy. “Anika never asks to help others, she always goes out and helps the underclassmen. Anika has this genuine concern to get everyone to be a better player,” said Wright.

Gupta added, “There’s this special bond that is formed, especially due to the fact that we have morning practice so we are up super duper early every day. Despite that, everyone comes ready to play and it makes practices so much fun.”

As Gupta heads into her final season, she has her sights set on another great run. After placing 21st in her sophomore year and 38th in her junior year at state, she’s determined to elevate her game and make her senior season her strongest yet. 

Badrinath noted that, “I’ve seen Anika grow over the years into…a better team player, which is hard for anyone to do since badminton is such an individual sport.”

With her work ethic, talent and leadership, there’s no doubt that Gupta is ready to succeed once again this season.