Sports India

Aparna Popat is readying herself for another comeback. The nine-time National champion has not laid her hand on a racquet ever since the Commonwealth Games in March. The reason - a wrist injury she’s been carrying for nearly a year.

Speaking from Bangalore, Aparna said she had not stepped on the court for nearly three months. “I started training only a couple of days back. I hope to regain fitness and match-preparedness in the coming months.”

The 28-year-old Mumbaikar revealed she was carrying the injury for nearly a year. “In fact, I was carrying the injury during the Thomas and Uber Cup qualifiers at Jaipur in February. At that time, I didn’t realise the true extent of the injury,” she said.

But she aggravated it while playing in the Commonwealth Games individual championships quarter-finals.

“I was playing against England’s Alicia Peters. In the second game I experienced a sharp pain after hitting a smash. That moment I knew there was something wrong. I went back to Mumbai where my physio asked me to stop playing immediately,” says Aparna.

The injury also kept Aparna out of the month-long coaching camp under P Gopi Chand. “To train under him is something I will miss.” How did she spend her time while recuperating? “I went back to Mumbai. Back to my parents, my friends. It was a welcome break. I feel it has helped me get that much-needed respite and also regain my focus. I want to give it a final shot. I know things are not going to be easy, but I am determined to do my best.”

Aparna has to start from a scratch. By not playing in the International Badminton Federation (IBF) circuit, her ranking has taken a free-fall. Ranked as high as 22, she is currently placed 124th. That means she will have to come through qualifiers in order to play the main tournaments. “Playing qualifiers can be tough. You can end up playing two matches a day. But I am ready for the long haul.”

She is not perturbed by the fact that now the focus has shifted to Saina Nehwal. “I do not see any competition between me and Saina. Some people ask me whether she is a better player than me. All I have to say is that she has got her positives and I have got mine.”

Knowing Aparna Popat for so long one can be sure that the soft-spoken Mumbaikar is not likely to bow out on a low note.

The nervousness was obvious. It had to be. After all, it was a rendezvous with someone going by the name of Prakash Padukone.

“Let’s sit outside,” were his first words, pointing towards a place outside the badminton courts at the Cricket Club of India. “No, I’ll take my own chair,” was the next soundbyte. The introduction had a soothing effect. Almost immediately, awe replaced nervousness.

India’s latest badminton sensation, Saina Nehwal, had to be the first topic. “She’s perhaps the brightest prospect from the country in years,” is Padukone’s first observation. “She has it all, strength, technique… Though she is short, she compensates for it with her power.”

But aren’t her losses after her victory in the Philippines Open disheartening? “Not really. One can’t expect her to win every tournament. It’s a feat in itself that she won a grade 4 tournament. Even I hadn’t won a major tournament when I was 16,” the 51-year-old says.

“Players like Saina have an advantage in the new 21-point system. The seeded players are just not as consistent as they were in the 15-point system, which provides more chances to the underdogs to script an upset,” the 1980 All England Open champion reasons.

It would be criminal if he’s not asked about the current Indian badminton scenario as compared to that in other countries. “They (countries like Denmark, China and Indonesia) have a system in place and that has been so for years together. They have a large pool of players to choose from, so their results are not surprising,” he explains.

What’s stopping India from having a system in place? “We are gradually moving towards having a system. Academies are coming up in different parts of the country. Till then, it is pretty normal to have such odd winners,” he says.

He is also optimistic of a couple of players to leave a mark. “Chetan Anand has been doing well, and I am confident about others like Anup Sridhar, Anand Pawar, Ajay Jairam to do well at the international level. Players like Sridhar have age on their side as well,” he says.

But isn’t the women’s game going nowhere, apart from Aparna Popat? “Aparna is strong technically and she has done well, though she could have done better. I believe that had she been physically stronger, she would have done a world of good to her career,” he says.

Will it help if we had more tournaments in the country? “Without doubt. Those playing for India get sufficient number of tournaments to play but others need more. At a senior level, we need at least eight tournaments more. As far as juniors are concerned, they are getting a fair share,” he says.

Players like Pullela Gopichand (also the current national coach) and Popat emerged during his stint as executive president of the Badminton Association of India (BAI). Perhaps, a longer association could have helped.

“But I feel I have done what I could in the four years I was there. I want to stay away from any kind of politics. Moreover, it is a full-time job and I don’t think I can devote so much time especially with my academy on as well,” he explains.

So when do we see another All England title coming to India?

“I only hope it doesn’t take 21 years (Gopichand won the title in 2001, 21 years after Padukone’s 1980 triumph). We have players who have the potential. It is difficult but not impossible,” he says.

We’ll go by your words.

India’s hopes of winning their first ever Asian junior badminton title was dashed as starlet Saina Nehwal bowed out in the third round of the girls’ singles event at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The second seed Indian went down against her unheralded Chinese opponent Wen Cheng in a three setter, losing 16-21 21-19 10-21.

The 16-year-old, who shot into limelight after her triumph in the elite Philippines Open last month, came from behind to pull off the second set and level scores but the Chinese rose to the occasion in the decider to seal the matter in her favour.

Indian shuttlers had a generally bad day as none of them tasted success in any of the events yesterday.

Ruth Misha and Gayatri Vartak lost their respective third round matches in the girls’ singles, while in the doubles Misha met a similar luck alongside Nischita.

Among the boys, Akshay Dewalkar was trounced in the third round of the singles and also went down in the doubles where he partnered Jishnu Sanyal.

Misa lost to Megumi Taruno of Japan 12-21 7-21 without any resistance and Vartak was tamed by Stephanie Sugumaran of Malaysia 16-21 21-23.

The combination of Vartak and Nischita could do no better against the Thai team comprising Porntip Buranaprasertsuk and Nuttaya Sanlekanun, who won 21-13 21-16.

Dewalkar lost to Lu Qicheng of China 17-21 11-21 in the singles and with Jishnu Sanyal in the doubles he lost to Wong Zi Liang and Tang Yew Loong Johnathan of Singapore 2321 12-21 18-21.

In mixed doubles, Vijay Ram C and Ponnappa Ashwini lost 14-21 13-21 to Chinese duo of Li Tian and Ma Jin in the second round.

India’s hopes of winning their first ever Asian junior badminton title were dashed as starlet Saina Nehwal bowed out in the third round of the girls’ singles event at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The second seed Indian went down against her unheralded Chinese opponent Wen Cheng in a three setter, losing 16-21 21-19 10-21.

The 16-year-old, who shot into limelight after her triumph in the elite Philippines open last month, came from behind to pull off the second set and level scores but the Chinese rose to the occasion in the decider to seal the matter in her favour.

Indian shuttlers had a generally bad day as none of them tasted success in any of the events yesterday.

Ruth Misha and Gayatri Vartak lost their respective third round matches in girls’ singles while in the doubles Misha met a similar luck alongside Nischita.

Among the boys, Akshay Dewalkar was trounced in the third round of the singles and also went down in the doubles where he partnered Jishnu Sanyal.

Misa lost to Megumi Taruno of Japan 12-21 7-21 without any resistance and Vartak was tamed by Stephanie Sugumaran of Malaysia 16-21 21-23.

The combination of Vartak and Nischita could do no better against the Thai team comprising Porntip Buranaprasertsuk and Nuttaya Sanlekanun, who won 21-13 21-16.

Dewalkar lost to Lu Qicheng of China 17-21 11-21 in the singles and with Jishnu Sanyal in the doubles he lost to Wong Zi Liang and Tang Yew Loong Johnathan of Singapore 2321 12-21 18-21.

In mixed doubles, Vijay Ram C and Ponnappa Ashwini lost 14-21 13-21 to Chinese duo of Li Tian and Ma Jin in the second round.

Saina Nehwal started her campaign in the Asian Junior badminton championship with a victory over Guerrero Raquel of Philippines in the second round singles event here.

Sixteen-year-old Saina, seeded second, scored a convincing 21-2, 21-8 win over Raquel to move into the third round where she meets China’s Wen Cheng.

Saina, who rose to stardom after a historic Philippines Open win last month, had got a bye in the first round.

India’s Gayatri Vartak did not have to toil much to beat Nabila Akhtar of Bangladesh 21-11, 21-13, while G.M. Nischita got the better of Vietnamese Vu Thi Trang 21-13, 21-17 in the girls’ singles.

In the girls’ doubles, Gayatri Vartak and Nischita beat Hong Kong’s Chan Tsz Ka and Yeung Hin Tung 21-16, 21-15 in the only match featuring Indians.

Sixteen-year-old Saina Nehwal, seeded second, beat Guerrero Raquel of Philippines 21-2, 21-8 to move into the third round singles event of Asian Junior Badminton Championship held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, according to reports in New Delhi on Thursday.
CAB awards
Cricket Association of Bengal adjudged Deep Dasgupta as the CAB best cricketer of the year, Shib Shanker Paul as the best fast bowler of the year and Sourasish Lahiri as the gentleman cricketer of the year, for the 2005-06 season in Kolkata on Thursday. Former Bengal cricketer Shivaji Bose will be awarded CAB lifetime achievement award. The annual awards ceremony will be held on 23 July.
Vaughan out
England captain Michael Vaughan has been ruled out of the Ashes tour of Australia after a fourth operation on his right knee, the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed in London on Thursday. The Yorkshire batsman went under the knife on Monday still clinging to the hope that he could be fit in time to lead England on the tour, which begins in November. But, according to the BBC, the surgery revealed more extensive damage to the joint than expected ~ a development which will intensify fears that Vaughan’s career could effectively be over.
Shoaib to return
Speedster Shoaib Akhtar may have to feature in local games next week to test his match fitness before making himself available for the ensuing Test cricket series against England. Shoaib, who is recuperating from stress fracture, would be asked by the Pakistan Cricket Board to play if his latest scan report on the injured ankle shows substantial progress. “We are considering the idea of having Shoaib to play some matches locally, but that would depend on what sort of advice comes from the doctors treating him,” PCB’s director of board operations Mr Abbas Zaidi was quoted as saying by The News in Karachi on Thursday.
Talent hunt
In an unique talent hunt, Australian greats like Allan Border and Steve Waugh will select 15 upcoming cricketers from India to be coached in ‘The Chappell Way’ Down Under. These young men will then be pitted against an Australian team, picked in a similar fashion in Australia, in what is to be called ‘The Outback Ashes’, a Press release said in New Delhi on Thursday.
Golf tourney
Rahul Bakshi fired a three-under 69 ~ with a total tally of 212 ~ to storm into lead in the senior Category A of the Sunfeast Northern India Junior and Sub-Junior Golf Championship being played at the Army Golf Course in New Delhi on Thursday. Overnight leader Amanjyot Singh submitted a card of one-under 71 to slip to second place at 213. Kanishk Madan shot a four-over 76 to jump to third place at 220.
Scaling heights
Noted mountaineer Karma Gyeltshen will organise an expedition to Mount Everest to commemorate the 150th anniversary of India’s first war of independence ~ the Sepoy Mutiny ~ in April next year. The 29-year-old climber from Bhutan announced this at a Press conference in Siliguri on Thursday

Saina Nehwal lost a close match as India made an early exit from the mixed team event of the Asian junior badminton championship after fourth seeded Indonesia thrashed it 3-0 here on Tuesday.

Saina, after winning the first game against Pia Zebadiah Bernadet, ran out of steam in the second and third games and lost the match 19-21, 21-16, 21-18.

Earlier in the boys’ singles, Jishnu Sanyal went down fighting to Bandar Sigit Pamungkas 16-21, 21-16, 19-21.

No match

Trailing 0-2, Indian duo of Jishnu and Akshay Dewalker proved no match for the Indonesian pair of Fernando Kurniawan and Subakti who won 21-13, 21-16 to wrap up the best-of-five match.

In girls’ singles, which begins on Wednesday, Saina is a strong contender for the title and she has been seeded second behind World No. 39 Jang Soo Young of South Korea.

The Hyderabadi teenager, who became the first Indian woman to win a four-star event at the Philippines Open, is now ranked 42 in the World.

In other mixed team event matches, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and China won their matches against Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Pakistan, Vietnam and Singapore respectively with identical 3-0 margins, while North Korea beat Kazakhstan 3-1.

Saina Nehwal lost a close match as India made an early exit from the mixed team event of the Asian junior badminton championship after fourth seeded Indonesia thrashed it 3-0 here on Tuesday.

Saina, after winning the first game against Pia Zebadiah Bernadet, ran out of steam in the second and third games and lost the match 19-21, 21-16, 21-18.

Earlier in the boys’ singles, Jishnu Sanyal went down fighting to Bandar Sigit Pamungkas 16-21, 21-16, 19-21.

No match

Trailing 0-2, Indian duo of Jishnu and Akshay Dewalker proved no match for the Indonesian pair of Fernando Kurniawan and Subakti who won 21-13, 21-16 to wrap up the best-of-five match.

In girls’ singles, which begins on Wednesday, Saina is a strong contender for the title and she has been seeded second behind World No. 39 Jang Soo Young of South Korea.

The Hyderabadi teenager, who became the first Indian woman to win a four-star event at the Philippines Open, is now ranked 42 in the World.

In other mixed team event matches, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and China won their matches against Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Pakistan, Vietnam and Singapore respectively with identical 3-0 margins, while North Korea beat Kazakhstan 3-1.

Saina Nehwal will attempt to add another golden chapter to her fledgling career when she begins her campaign as the second seed in women’s singles event of Asian Junior Badminton Championship in Kuala Lumpur.

Saina’s spectacular win at the Philippines Open last month elevated her to a new high in the badminton world and the giant-killer from Hyderabad possesses the grit to become the first Indian ever to win the crown of Asian Junior champion.

The 16-year-old sounded upbeat about her chances in the prestigious championship beginning in the Malaysian capital on Monday.

“I just want to win this title. I know I can do it if I play to my potential. But winning the crown will not be easy as the top seed is a Korean girl (Jang Soo Young) and also above me in the rankings. It will be a challenge for me,” a confident Saina said before leaving for Malaysia along with the rest of the 12-member Indian team.

Saina reached the pre-quarterfinals of the event last time but having blossomed at the international stage since and with a Grand Prix win under her belt, she has a realistic chance of bagging the singles title this time.

The main contender for Saina, whose world rankings soared to 42 after her historic win at Manila, will be Jang Soo Young of Korea, placed three notches above her, while third seed Xing Aiying, world number 44 from Singapore, could also pose a challenge to the Indian starlet.

“It would be a good exposure for me. There are several players in the other teams who are young and performing well at the top level. They are quite fast and I would meet them at the senior level as well.

“Everybody is doing well in the team and we are expecting a good result in the team championship also,” said Saina, who has got a bye in the first round of singles.

After the euphoria of winning Philippines Open, came the dampner as she failed to make much impact in the next three tournaments of the Asian Circuit but Saina is determined to return to her winning ways.

“It was a dream come true (victory at Philippines Open). I really worked hard and gave my hundred per cent in every game but I never believed that I could win it. I took it match by match but after beating world no. 4 (Xu Huwaien) I realised that I have a chance.”

“It was the first time that I had won a big title so I got tense in the rest of the tournaments. I made lots of mistakes. After coming back I started training from that day and took note of my errors,” she said.

The Pullela Gopichand protege seems to revel in beating higher-ranked players and has already scored some big upsets in her career.

“I am not scared by them (higher-ranked players). I always play me best against them. You should have belief in yourself. I do not feel any pressure because the pressure is on them. Even when I was 9-10, I used to beat players in the 16-17 age category.”

Saina’s penchant for toppling big names has made them watch out for this new Indian girl.

“They know that Saina is playing well and now they are careful. They see my game and note it down and work on their strategy. So I need to keep on working hard,” she said.

And how does it feel to be suddenly in the media glare?

“Everybody was talking about Sania (Mirza), now they have something else to talk about – Saina,” was her chirpy reply.

But on a serious note, she said, “it’s a bit distracting (media attention) but it is nice. My family is very happy with what I have done and I hope I would be able to stand up to everyone’s expectations.”

India bowed out of the mixed team event at the Asian Junior Badminton Championship in Kuala Lumpur after losing 0-3 to Indonesia in their first round knock-out match today.

Third seed Indonesia stamped their authority by sailing through to the next round comfortably without conceding a single game to India.

Jishnu Sanyal lost to Bandar Sigit Pamungkas 21-16 16-21 21-19 in the first boys’ singles match.

Saina Nehwal, of whom the Indian team had high hopes, ran close to Pia Zebadiah Bernadet before giving up 19-21 21-16 21-18 in the girls’ singles tie.

After Saina’s loss, Jishnu Sanyal and Akshay Dewalkar went down to Fernando Kurniawan and Subakti 21-13 21-16 in the boys’ doubles match.

Indonesia face Hong Kong, who got the better of Philippines 3-0 in the quarterfinals.

The individual events will start tomorrow.