On the eve of her opening encounter at the world championships in paris, India's ace shuttler Saina Nehwal says she's added more strokes to her kitty and is fitter than ever
On the eve of her opening encounter at the world championships in paris, India's ace shuttler Saina Nehwal says she's added more strokes to her kitty and is fitter than ever
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It was probably easier for Gregory Peck to find gold in the J Lee Thompson classic McKenna's Gold than trying to locate Saina Nehwal at the World Championships in Paris. It was quite a task. It is understood that she is the world number two and everybody understands that her focus on doing well at the championships is as legendary as Sonny Liston staring down an opponent in the boxing ring.
After umpteen rounds of the Stade Coubertin to the fitness centre of the Mercure Hotel and back to the player's box, not forgetting an aborted trip to the Ibis hotel, we finally located Saina, thanks to her father Dr Harvir Singh, who did promise "she would do the interview."
Saina was her affable self. "I am a little tired," she said. But finally relented and took out some time to speak on her chances here at the French capital.
"Everybody here has a chance to win," she said. "It's ultimately how your body responds on a particular day and your preparations."
Coming into Paris in the wake of three consecutive championships, the Indian Open, Singapore Super Series and the Indonesia Super Series, Saina's is the big scalp at the tournament. The number two ranking could just be a little heavy for her young shoulders.
"Sometimes, you do feel the pressure," she says. "But then that's why you're here as a title contender. I do admit that expectations are very high. But then I am not the only one on whom a nation has pinned its hopes ufffdthere are the Chinese and the Danes as well."
Tine Baum, a splendid Top 10 player from Denmark says, "Saina's mind is her key. A lot of players do depend on strokes and superb conditioning but for her it's her attitude."
Saina smiles at the compliment. "I am very tough," she admits. "But over the last couple of years, I have added strokes and also my physical fitness has improved. If you have to compete against the best in the world, then it's imperative that on all counts you have to be there."
Saina doesn't agree that nervousness could be a factor. "You could be apprehensive a bit about how the match would start and your own tactical preparation," she explains. "But it's all about the moment and the little opportunities that you could seize during the match."
She isn't thinking too much about her opponent, Chinese Taipei's Huan Chen.
u00a0"I would rather concentrate on what I have to do in the match," she says. "Let the opponents take care of themselves."
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