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Saina focussing on the positives

Principal Correspondent

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Saina Nehwal.

HYDERABAD: It is not the best of times for India’s champion shuttler Saina Nehawal who will be competing in the All England championship next month.

Not only is she fighting against time to recover from the shoulder injury, the promised Rs. 20 lakhs for her quarterfinal appearance in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games from the State government is yet to reach her.

“Definitely, these off-court happenings do hamper my preparations though I am managing to shut out negative thoughts when I am training,” she said after a long session at Gopi Chand Academy here on Saturday.

“I am sad that I am getting a rough treatment consistently from the officials. First, my life was made miserable with the passport issue and now there is this delay in the payment of Rs. 20 lakhs promised to me by the State. I am still hoping for a positive response from the State Government. It is certainly discouraging for any sportsperson,” she said.

Saina Nehawal, says that the first round match against World No. 5 Pi Hongyan of France in the All England championship should be as tough as a final for her. She pointed out that she had one win in five matches against Hongyan.

Reflecting on the draw, Saina said once she gets through the first round, it would be comfortable.

“It is not going to be easy. The sport is so competitive that anyone can beat anyone on a given day.”

“I have been focussing only on tosses and drops right now while training. May be, in a day or two I will go for the smashes. But, I believe that 10 days should be enough for me to be fit for the event as trainer Heath Mathew is really working me hard,” Saina said.

Improved

Saina who is scheduled to leave for England on March 1, said she has vastly improved as a player and is has been moving on the court much faster than before.

“The fact that some of the top players are scared of me is a big bonus to my morale right now. But I too have mental blocks against some top players,” she added.

Saina is in a way happy that she got a two-week break after a hectic eight-month tournament schedule.

“I decided to be selective in competing this year to avoid injuries,” the BPCL officer said.

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