Pressure on Saina as WBC starts without England

Amit Kumar Das

Hyderabad, Aug 9 (PTI) Hit by England's dramatic
last-minute pullout, the World Badminton Championships get
underway at Gachibowli Stadium here Monday with Indian hopes
resting largely on Saina Nehwal's shoulders.

The eight-member England team pulled out citing a
"specific security threat" despite India's Home Minister P
Chidambram's assurances Saturday.

The focus Monday will, however, shift back to the sport
when shuttlers take to court in the premier event.

Sixth seeded Saina, who has just recovered from mild
chicken pox, will undoubtedly be the cynosure of all eyes on
her home turf.

The 20-year-old has been handed a relatively easy draw.
She has got a bye in the first round.

"It is a good draw but not at all an easy one because
there are quite a few quality players in there and obviously
everyone has got a month's break to practice and train
themselves. So all of them would be fresh and raring to go,"
Saina told PTI.

"I would not like to set any target and rather look at one
game at a time and give my best that I usually do and see what
happens.

"Preparation has been going on well. I am quite prepared
and fit. I just want to go there and give my 100 per cent,"
she added.

Saina will play her first match in the tournament against
Russian Anastasia Prokopenko in the second round.

Among the men, 15th seed Chetan will open his campaign
against Ji Hoon Hong of Korea.

"It is an okay draw for me. I am playing a Korean in the
first round. I have never played him before but I have seen
him play. So it would be a good match," said Chetan, also
ranked 15th in the world.

"I would like to concentrate on my game and play freely
and I know if I can do that I can pull it off," he added.

If the 29-year-old Indian gets past Ji, Chetan is likely
to meet sixth-seed Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia in the second
round.

"Last year I defeated Kuncoro in the Denmark Open Super
Series, so I am not scared of him. I just want to enjoy and
play my natural game. I am not too worried about results and
want to give my 100 per cent," he said.

Another prominent Indian in fray in men's singles is
world number 24 Arvind Bhat, who has been handed a difficult
draw but the current national champion said it wasn't "too
bad."

"The draw isn't too bad even though I play ninth-seed Yu
Hsing Hsieh of Taiwan in the first round. I know I have not
won against him in the last two encounters but I still feel he
is beatable. I would like to take it one match at a time,"
said Bhat. PTI ATK
ANU
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