In quest to break world championship jinx, Saina Nehwal must beat nemesis

Saina Nehwal is chasing an elusive Worlds medal. (Source: PTI)

Indian shuttlers will spend the lead-up to Independence Day, battling to make serious headway at Indonesia in the annual World Championship from 10-16 August.

In what often ends up being a rather fervent week of stirring emotion for Indians, coaches P Gopichand and Vimal Kumar are urging their wards to play freely and with liberating confidence in the face of some rather stiff draws they are up against at Jakarta’s Istora — Gelora Bung Karno Senayan, an imposing arena expected to be filled to its 9000 capacity.

As a start, Saina Nehwal has been advised by Vimal Kumar to steer clear of reading newspapers and shut out the outside din so that she can calmly negotiate her way through the early rounds and reach the doorstep of the marquee quarterfinal clash with the towering Chinese Yihan Wang.

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“Vimal sir and Prakash (Padukone) sir just tell me to play with confidence and be ready for each match. And never take anyone easily,” Nehwal says, guarded in her expectations, also hinting at the deceptive Sayaka Takahashi who comes up before the quarters. The stats are loaded against her — she’s never crossed the quarterfinals at the Worlds — and none would blame her if she glanced at the draw and wondered wryly how it could be Yihan Wang standing at the gates yet again, the same Yihan Wang against whom she shares dismal head-to-head figures (2-9), having lost to her more than against anyone.

At the All England, Nehwal dished out a tactical riposte, solving a long-teasing puzzle, breaking the shackles on the hex-like grip that the tall Chinese held against her.

“The All England was a great tournament but it is past now it was nice to beat Yihan Wang and Sun Yu in that tournament and it gave me lot of confidence. But each tournament is different and I have to be ready for every tournament,” she adds.

Yihan Wang won gold at Asiad in October, then suffered miserable losses before she returned at Chinese Taipei last month to claim a title. Never to be taken lightly, the Chinese is known for her blitzing attacks that demolishes opponents on the spot and demoralises them for the future.

“One match at a time, remaining in the present. It’s the best way to deal with it,” Vimal stresses. Shunning thoughts of what might happen and focussing on what she needs to do, is what Saina’s coaches are drilling into her. So there’s Estonian Kati Tolmoff / Hong Kong’s Cheung Ngan Yi after the bye in the first round and the deceptive Takahashi later.

The Yihan threat may be looming ahead, but there’s some undeniable facts that pierce through the gloom of that inevitable draw. Saina Nehwal reached World No.1 not too long ago. Plus, Indonesia’s a favourite venue with the World No.2 Indian.

“It was a great run in Indonesia from 2009-2012, four years. I played four finals and won three, so it was really good. The stadium’s really nice and I love the atmosphere,” says the shuttler who feeds off raucous crowds when the going gets tough.

The draws are no less of minefields for Gopichand’s charges either. “Whether it’s Srikanth, Kashyap, Saina or Sindhu, I want all Indians to go out there and play their games. Play freely and on the merit of each opponent. Draws are tough, but there’s no point taking pressure,” the national coach, says.

If Saina has the Yihan wall to scale, India’s top men’s singles player K Srikanth wasn’t exactly showered with bountiful of luck when Lee Chong Wei, unseeded (post a drug suspension) for the first time in a decade, sprung up at the quarters stage.

“Considering Srikanth’s seeded 4th, meeting Lee Chong Wei in quarters is surely tough,” Gopichand said. But the 21-year-old blessed with prodigious talent and temperament for titles, isn’t betraying nerves on the eve of the team’s departure to Jakarta.

“I’ve lost a few close matches and am definitely not happy with the last few tournaments. But in the last three week’s time of practice, I’ve figured out what’s working and what’s not. I’ve played good matches against Chong Wei so I’ll always back myself,” says the Indian whose march to Top 3 in rankings has been lightning fast, though this is only his second outing at the Worlds.

P Kashyap spent Wednesday watching kabaddi at the stadium alongside Srikanth and PV Sindhu.

Good rhythm

A giant-killing feat’s not required of him in the early rounds at Jakarta as he doesn’t run into the top guns, but recent demons in the form of Japanese 4th seed Kento Momota are lurking in Round 3 before he can make his star turn and continue a season where he’s struck good rhythm.

Known to implode on the brink of success — against Momota in the last such instance — Kashyap’s sought help of a mental trainer. “It’s a different approach (working with a psychologist), and I am waiting to see if it works on court,” Kashyap says.

One Indian shuttler who has been immune to tough draws and played fearlessly these past two years is PV Sindhu, twice a bronze medallist.

The teenager is yet to win a Super Series, is coming of an injury lay-off and isn’t in the peachiest of forms. But even the prospect of Chinese Olympic gold medallist Xuerui Li doesn’t seem daunting, such is Sindhu’s record of the past two years. The lanky Indian has been a thorn in Chinese flesh, singling them out for specially corrosive treatment at the Worlds.

“That big smash and power give her the edge as a feared opponent,” Gopichand says, explaining what makes the Indian the most dangerous floater in the draw. Yet to develop a distinct style of her own — hence considered a threat — Sindhu’s unpredictability is her biggest asset.

“I hope I make it three-in-a-row. I’m 1-1 with Xuerui, and though she’s a good player I just know I need to start well,” she says, not too scarred by the loss against the Chinese at the Asian Championships earlier in the summer. A month ago, Saina Nehwal took up a Dubsmash challenge for a lark. Her Paresh Rawal-act from Hera Pheri was riotously goofy and far removed from the intense look she dons on court.

“It was just that we were doing our stretches after a long, tiring session and Akshay Dewalkar (doubles player) came up with the idea. Everyone loves the movie and I’m a big fan of the comedy. So we just tried it and it came out really nice,” she says.

It was the most spontaneous she’d been. While chasing an elusive Worlds medal, maybe spontaneity’s all that she needs.

Opponent Watch

Saina has a bye in first round before she takes on the winner of Estonian Kati Tolmoff and Hong Kong’s Cheung Ngan Yi in the second round. She could then face Japanese Sayaka Takahashi in the pre-quarters before meeting Yihan Wang of China in the last eight.

PV Sindhu too has a bye in first round before she takes on the winner of Line Kjaerfeldt (Denmark) and Chloe Magee (Ireland) next. A win would see her take on Li Xuerui in the third round.

K Srikanth faces Michael Fariman of Australia in the first round before a possible quarter-final against the unseeded Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia.

P Kashyap takes on Dutch Erik Meijs in the opening round and could meet Japanese Kento Momota in the pre-quarters.