The Hindu : Sport / Badminton : Gopi Chand confident of a good show

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Thursday, Sep 14, 2006
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Gopi Chand confident of a good show

Principal Correspondent

— Photo: Mohammed Yousuf

Saina Nehwal.

HYDERABAD: The smile was back on the face of India's chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopi Chand. The Indian team was completing the final training session before leaving for the World championship in Spain from September 18. The relief on everyone's face was clearly seen as India's highest-ranked player — World No. 24 Chetan Anand — and six-time women's doubles champions Jwala Gutta and Shruthi Kurien had been training together for the last 10 days and things had gone smoothly.

Gopi did not promise anything extraordinary but hoped that the shuttlers would put up a decent performance despite a tough draw in both sections. "You have to be on your toes and produce your best," he said in a chat with The Hindu at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.

Candid admission

He was candid in admitting that there was a wide gap between the training methods in India and those abroad. "Their fitness level seems okay and I believe that this should be one of the best Indian teams to go for a World championship. There are three players in the top 50 and one below 100. But what is important is how well they perform on the given day," he said.

With Trupti Murugunde also joining in, the Indian camp looked complete in all aspects. Former National champion George Thomas (who will be accompanying the Indian team) and U. Bhaskar Babu of SAI will assist Gopi.

"The World championship is an experience which should elevate one's confidence. These things can enhance the performance levels now and later also," said Gopi.

For Saina Nehwal, ranked World No. 30, this will be her first World championship appearance. "I have worked a lot on speed and half-smashes," she said.

The team: Men: Anup Sridhar, Chetan Anand, Sanave Thomas, Rupesh Kumar and V. Diju. Women: Saina Nehwal, Trupti Murugunde, Jwala Gutta, Shruthi Kurien and B.R. Meenakshi. Chief coach: George Thomas. Assistant coach: U. Bhaskara Babu (SAI).

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