The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Shuttlers create history

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Monday, Oct 13, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Shuttlers create history

Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD: Two Hyderabadis Gutta Jwala and Sruthi Kurien, both seven-time national doubles champions, created history by becoming the first ever Indian pair to win a Grand Prix title, when they won the KLRC Bulgarian Grand Prix championship on Sunday.

The stunning performance of Jwala and Sruthi is all the more creditable considering that they were down and out in the run-up to the Beijing Olympic Games, it was made mandatory for them to attend the national preparatory camps. This they felt was a clear ploy to deny them pick up invaluable points to improve their ranking and be in the reckoning for direct entry to play in the Olympics.

They were ranked World No. 23 in April 2007 and looking for exposure which was denied. Now they are ranked world No. 24.

With dreams shattered and their future uncertain, these shuttlers including national champion Chetan Anand displayed remarkable grit and fighting spirit to come back with vengeance.

In a way proving a point Chetan became the first-ever Indian shuttler to pick a Grand Prix title when he won the Bitburger Grand Prix in Germany and later his wife Jwala combine with Diju won the mixed doubles title. And now Jwala came up with a vintage performance.

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