Renna Suwarno - Courtesy of Renna Suwarno

Dumped from the national team, former national shuttler Renna Suwarno may have found reprieve from the disappointment away from home.

The 23-year-old member of Victory Bogor badminton club is currently playing for BC Milano in the Italian league, where she nurtures hope of bouncing back from the blows dealt her.

'€œI try to play as well as I can in every tournament,'€ Renna said in an online interview with The Jakarta Post.

She began a month-and-a-half-long contract on Feb. 9, but may play in the European League, the next competition, if her club wins the domestic league.

BC Milano currently tops the nine-team league and will play its semifinal and final matches at the weekend.

Renna'€™s acquaintanceship with BC Milano came through a network of fellow Indonesians already playing at the Italian club.

'€œI was contacted by Wisnu Haryo Putro,'€ she said referring to a former Djarum Kudus player now working on Milano'€™s coaching staff.

'€œThe club also has another Indonesian, Indra Ade Candra, who is sparring partner for the club'€™s players,'€ she added.

She explained that her fellow Indonesians had helped her break the language barrier in her new country.

'€œI enjoy playing in Italy despite badminton not being as popular in Italy as in Indonesia. It'€™s a new experience for me. They play it just as a hobby,'€ she said.

Renna has badminton in her blood; her father Suwarno is a former professional shuttler.

She joined PMS Solo in her hometown of Surakarta when she was five years old, moving to Jakarta to join Jayaraya in 2004. Her achievement on the national circuit brought her to the national training camp in 2009.

However, she struggled to progress in her four-year stint in the camp. Falling early from one tournament after another, she knew her stint with the national team was doomed.

Tournaments in Australia and New Zealand in 2013, when she exited in the first and second rounds, respectively, proved to be her last international outings as a national player.

'€œI had a feeling at the time that I would be let go because I had achieved nothing all season,'€ she said. '€œI was sad that I had to leave the national camp but that also motivated me to play better,'€ she added.

Leaving the national team, Renna returned to Jayaraya, but after seven months she decided to join Victory Bogor, soon becoming one of the team'€™s aces.

Victory Bogor, which includes former world champion Joko Supriyanto on its coaching staff, expects to play her in the upcoming national circuits in Semarang and Jakarta.

'€œI have told Milano to contract her for just a month and half because I need her for the national circuits in April. However, we can continue our cooperation for another term,'€ club owner Lukmanul Hakim said.

Lukmanul, who is also director of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI), added that he was hopeful that Renna'€™s time in Italy could help provide impetus to the revival of the national sport, which is very much in the doldrums.

Given her age, Renna has little chance of re-entering the national camp, but the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) is not fully shutting the camp door to former members given the precedents.

Simon Santoso was dismissed from the team but reerecruited after outstanding performances in international tournaments. Men'€™s doubles specialist Hendra Setiawan remains the team'€™s ace, although he has of his own volition decided to train outside the camp.

'€œIt depends on their performance, their age and their future prospects,'€ said Rexy Mainaky, the PBSI chief of development and achievement.

While still hopeful of achieving great things at national and international tournaments, Renna is just relishing her Italian sojourn.

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