Saina regains fitness, eyes Japan Open

NEW DELHI: Gearing up for her return after a month-long break, ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal said she has regained full fitness and would be at
the top of her game during next week's Japan Open Super Series.

Saina was down with chicken pox weeks before the World Badminton Championship last month but the Hyderabadi battled on to become the first Indian to reach the quarterfinal of the blue-ribbon event.

Having regained her full fitness, the world number seven will now return to the court next week in the Japan Open Super Series starting September 22 and the 19-year-old said she is ready for the challenge.

"I needed a break to be on top of my game and fitness after chicken pox. So, this break has helped refresh me," Saina said.

"It is a tough draw. I am in the second half and there are players like Pi Hongyan, Tine Russmussen. So, it is difficult but I am not bothered. At the moment, it's just the first match and I am well prepared for the challenge."

Saina will open her campaign against world number 10 Chinese Yanjiao Jiang and Beijing Olympics quarter-finalist said it wouldn't be an easy match.

"I am playing the world number 10 and I have played her twice and the last time was in the Asian Championship. I lost in three sets. But I am prepared this time and will give her a good fight," she said.

Saina couldn't participate in the ongoing China Masters after missing the deadline for sending the entries which resulted in a mild slump in her world rankings but the Indonesian Super Series winner said she is not thinking about her rankings right now.

"I know I couldn't play the China Open and my rankings went down because of that. It is a concern but I am not thinking about rankings," she said.

Saina needs to be within the top-eight bracket to qualify for the all-important World Super Series Masters final in December and the Indian said she was confident of making the cut.

"The World Super Series Masters is too far away at the moment. After the Japan Open, I am playing four Super Series this year -- Denmark, France, Hong Kong and China and I know if can win the Indonesian Open, I can win these Super Series too, which will again raise my rankings," she said.

Asked if she would be jittery when she takes the court after remaining out of action for a month, Saina conceded she might have to tackle a bit of nervousness initially.

"After a break you tend to get a little jittery and nervous at the start but after two points things come back to normal. So it’s ok. I think I have played enough international tournaments to deal with it and it is not a problem," she said.

Taipei title is history now, focused on Japan Open: Jwala

Not the one to bask in past glory, ace Indian doubles player Jwala Gutta has already forgotten her Chinese Taipei win and is gearing up for the Japan Open that gets underway next week.


Jwala and V Diju are the world number seven mixed doubles pair and the duo won the Chinese Taipei Grand Prix Gold last month but the Hyderabadi girl said she has gotten over the euphoria of winning the title and is focusing on the Japan Open, which starts on September 22.

"Chinese Taipei is past now. I have already forgotten about it. It was a good experience, good exposure and boosted our confidence but Japan Open is a bigger tournament and a different tournament altogether and we are prepared for that," Jwala said.

Japan Open Super Series is the first tournament in which Jwala and Diju are competing after their Taiwan title win and she doesn't want to set any target for the event.

"I have never set any targets for myself. I don't believe in setting targets. We have been training hard and are well prepared for the tournament. I just want to perform consistently. So that even if we lose, we don't feel that we didn't play our best," Jwala said.

"We are playing a Thai pair in the first round and they are really good. They were in the top five earlier but of late they haven't played in the last couple of tournaments.

"We played them in the first Indian Open two years ago. We lost in the first round. I know things are different now but they are very experienced and we cannot take them lightly. For me, it is the first round which matters now," Jwala said.

Her partner V Diju, however, said he is hoping for at least a semi-final appearance.

"I am aiming to reach atleast the semifinals," Diju said. "Winning the Chinese Taipei title has helped improve my confidence level. I am not under any pressure and I am enjoying my game now," he added.

After Japan Open, Jwala and Diju will play in the Danish Open, French Open in the European circuit and will also feature in the Hong Kong and China Open later in the year.

This would be followed by the all-important World Super Series Masters in December, if they can qualify for the event by being in the world top eight.

Jwala will also combine with Ashwini Poppanna in the women's doubles event in the Japan Open and the 26-year-old said she was confident of a good show.

"Me and Ashwini have been performing consistently. We reached the quarter-finals in Taiwan and I'm confident we will be performing well in Japan too. I am not thinking of any ranking points at the moment. The focus is on improving our performance with each tournament," she said.