Saina wants it tough in Beijing

HYDERABAD: A tough draw is the last thing an Olympic-bound athlete would look for but Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal says she does not fear being pitted against top-ranked rivals in Beijing as difficult matches only bring out the best in her.
    
Saina said she would happily take a tough draw against the likes of world number one Xie Xingfang of China and Tine Rasmussen of Denmark as it would give her an opportunity test herself against the best.
   
"Both of them are excellent players but I would like to fight it out with these two players. I don't get scared playing top players. I just love playing against such players. If I beat them its really good. It doesn't matter if I lose and would give a good fight in the next match," the 18-year-old said.
    
"They are not easy to beat. But I will do my best. I have to really work hard and need lot of stamina and I am doing it in that regard," she said.
    
"The thing is that they make the opponents run a lot in the court and basically I need to make them run and pick up all the schedules and be ready for the smash," she said.
    
After putting up a stupendous performance in the Asian circuit and reaching a career-best world ranking of 16, Saina is hoping to continue her fine form in Beijing.
    
"I am training extensively for the past three weeks. I am looking forward for the next two weeks on how well I train. I am quite fit and feeling great now. I am confident that I would play well and put up a good show," she said here.

Confident about her performance despite being pitted against top players from China and other countries, Saina said, "Playing against top 20 players of the world will be very tough. But I have previously won against top players and thus achieved 16th rank, that too being only for two-years in the circuit.
    
"I am quite confident that if I match their speed I can beat the top players including those from China. If I play my best, I can," she said.
    
"It's not impossible to beat them but I need to be fit like them," said Saina, the lone female shuttler representing India in Beijing. Anup Sridhar is the other player representing India in Badminton.
    
Saina said she does not feel any pressure going into the mega event as there are hardly any expoectations from her.
    
"Expectations and pressure will always be there. But they (rivals) are seniors in their 20s and 30s and they will be under more pressure," she said.
    
Getting a medal at the mega event will be fulfilling a very big dream, Saina said, adding "As a child it was always my dream to participate in Olympics and win a gold medal."
    
Saina, who pulled off sensational wins against higher-ranked players at Singapore and Thailand this year, is presently undergoing training at former All England champion P Gopichand's academy at Hyderabad.
    
Her coach and mentor Gopichand says the 16th ranked player in the world has been playing really well.
    
"Olympics will be a good experience for her.  We would be taking one match at a time," the seasoned player who will also be going to Beijing, said.
    
"My parents have been very supportive and they want me to train more harder," Saina said. She faces her first encounter on August 9.