The recently-concluded Thomas and Uber Cup at the Kunshan Sports Complex saw contrasting results for India with the Men’s team finishing a dismal 4th in their group while the Women’s team won their second consecutive bronze after reaching the podium for the first time in Delhi in 2014.
Aparna Popat. a winner of 9 National titles, expressed happiness over the performance of the eves and felt that the likes of Kidambi Srikanth and Parupalli Kashyap were missed as far as the Men’s team were concerned.
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“The Uber Cup was a great performance. Getting into the Top 4 and getting a medal for the second time is certainly very commendable. The Thomas Cup team definitely missed Kashyap(Parupalli) and Srikanth(Kidambi) and their presence would have made a difference,” Popat told Sportskeeda in a telephonic interview.
The Uber Cup was only Saina Nehwal’s 5 consecutive semifinal appearance across all competitions in 2016 after having missed a large part of the opening 3 months due to injury. On asked whether the 26-year-old’s fitness levels have improved with the passing of each tournament, Popat felt that the 2012 Olympic bronze medalist was on the right track and needs to take care with regards to her fitness.
“Yes, it has been getting better, especially performance-wise. The results are there for all to see and the fact that she has kept up, the All England Championships were in March and now we are in May. So in these 3 months, whatever tournament she has played, she has been fit right through. I think she is slowly getting her fitness back and to my understanding, since she has been at the top level for such a long time, she has the experience behind her.
“So I think it is just a matter of getting her fitness in order because she knows how to win big matches. It’s just the fitness that’s the issue and she is obviously on the right track with that,” she added.
During India’s final group game against Japan, one saw a new doubles pairing in the form of PV Sindhu and Ashwini Ponnappa in the last tie of the day that they lost by a close margin.
While Popat praised the duo for putting in a spirited performance, she expressed concern over the fact that India continued to fall back on our Singles players to play Doubles as well.
“I don't think I was surprised, but I would be concerned in a way because that just shows that we keep falling back on our Singles players to play Doubles for us. I think at the last Uber Cup we had Saina and Sindhu play the second doubles.Here we have had to split our best combination-Jwala(Gutta) and Ashwini(Ponnappa).
“So I think it’s just a bit of a concern, but the fact that they played so well was good. But I am not too sure whether that’s a strategy that we can keep falling back on for so many years. It’s been 2 years since the last Uber Cup and we haven’t been able to sort out this issue, but they played really well,” she said.
For several fans, if the pairing of Sindhu and Ponnappa came as a surprise, then Ruthvika Shivani Gadde’s win over Nitchaon Jindapol certainly was an ever bigger result as far as Indian badminton was concerned.
“Yes. I think that’s how a youngster gets their breakthrough and I am hoping that this could be a breakthrough match for Ruthvika, it gives her the confidence that when she plays seniors and international tournaments, she can come up with such type of performance.
"She played that match under huge pressure, and she managed to pull it off. But that's how a junior would want to ease into the top, play the third Singles, win a vital match for the team.It gives you a lot of confidence,” she said.
When asked about her opinion on the progress made by the shutters between the last Olympics in London to the upcoming one in Rio, Popat felt Saina had been consistent while Sindhu, although having won two World Championships medals, has been a bit erratic.
“Saina has been consistent, other than the injuries. 2015 was a fantastic 12 months for her with the All England medal, the World Championships medal etc. Sindhu has been erratic, although she too has won two World Championships medal. It just shows that these girls are capable of getting the big wins. T
“he Olympics is a different ball game altogether. There is a different atmosphere and a lot more pressure. As you know, there is just too many Women’s Singles player vying for the top spot. Nobody is clearly better than the other. So I think our girls are in with a good chance,” she said.
When asked who she thought had the best chance to win a medal at Rio, Popat felt that Saina had it in her to win a second successive Olympics medal but didn’t rule out any other player to win a medal either.
“Saina, for sure. She’s been the most consistent, there is no question about it. Having said that, Sindhu has had those big wins, so she too can get us a medal. The Women’s Doubles pairing(read: Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa) narrowly missed out on a medal at London 2012 so they could be hopes as well,” she concluded.
