JOIN USTop seed Saina faces multiple pressures
The 21-year-old has been troubled by an ankle injury for the past few months but Saina said she was fit to lead the Indian challenge in the $200,000 event, the first ever Super Series in India.
“There were some problems with my ankle, there was a little fluid but it is better now. It was paining during the All England and Swiss Open but I have taken tablets and I am fit to play,” Saina said.
With the Chinese deciding to skip the event because of prior engagements, the stage is set for the top-seeded Indian to sizzle, but Saina remains cautious and is not ready to lower her guard against the lower-ranked shuttlers.
“This stadium has been lucky for me and I hope to perform like I did in the Commonwealth Games. It is going to be tough even though the Chinese players are not here. Other players are also playing very well.
“Second seed Tine Baun of Denmark is also here, even the Japanese, Koreans, all have improved a lot. It is going to be a tough fight,” said Saina, who takes on Ai Goto in the first round. Aditi Mutatkar, the other Indian challenger in the women’s singles, faces fourth seed Pui Yin Yip of Thailand in her tournament opener.
With women’s world numbers one and two Wang Shixian and Wang Yihan missing in action, it will also be an opportunity for Baun, back after recovering from injury, sixth seed Ji Hyun Sung and third seed Youn Joo Bae to shine.
In the men’s singles, it will be a sort of homecoming for P Kashyap, who won the Commonwealth bronze here and now spearheads the Indian challenge in the tournament where as many as 203 players comprising 109 men and 94 women from 16 nations will vie for top honours.
The world number 23 from India, who faces Slovekian Michal Matejka in the first round and could meet second-ranked Taufik Hidayat in the next, said he was itching to beat the Indonesian after coming so close in their last three meetings.
Among international stars, world number one Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia and number two Taufik of Indonesia, apart from Peter Gade of Denmark, will be seen in action.
The eighth-seeded Indian pair Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa also returns to its favourite hunting ground. Jwala and Ashwini had won the Commonwealth doubles gold last year.
The Indian duo has a bye in the first round and will take on the winners of the Indian pair of Thulasi PC and Siki Reddy, and Malaysian combo Eei Hui Chin and Pei Tty Wong in the second.
Among other Indians, RMV Gurusai Dutt will face the unenviable task of taming fourth seed Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand, while Arvind Bhat will face world number 11 Sung Hwan Park of Korea. Anand Pawar will face Sho Sasaki of Japan in his first-round match.
In men’s doubles, eighth seeds Rupesh Kumar and Sanave Thomas, who have a bye in the first round, will face the winners of Pranav Chopra and Tarun Kona and Indonesian pair Yohanes Rendy Sugiarto and Afiat Yuris Wirawan in the second.
Aparna Balan and Prajakta Sawant will square off against Jung Kyung and Eun Kim Ha Na of Korea in the first round of women’s doubles.