Trump matches bring pressure on team: Srikanth, Ashwini

Top players of Bangalore Top Guns Kidambi Srikanth and Ashwini Ponnappa on Tuesday said Trump matches bring pressure because it changes the complexion of the tie pretty quickly.

“We feel a little bit of pressure because the whole team depends on you to pull off a crucial match to get vital bonus point. Yes, the trump match adds pressure because it changes the complexion of the match quickly,” Srikanth told reporters here.

Ashwini, who plays the mixed doubles match for Top Guns, also talked about the pressure, but added it all depends on players how they handle the pressure and outsmart the opponent.

“Of course there is a lot of added pressure because they are crunch matches. However, success lies in how players handle the pressure in crunch situation,” she said.

Top Guns Coach Arvind Bhat said Trump matches are taken at a very crucial stage and hence the players are in different zone and feel differently.

Asked reasons for Joachim Fischer Nielsen playing just one mixed doubles, Bhat said the Danish star had to miss four days of the league for playing a league back home.

“It is purely an administrative issue. Because the window was short he had to go to participate in a league back home, and hence he missed four days of the PBL,” he said.

Asked did Fischer’s absence cost the team which now find themselves in a tough position to qualify for semifinal, Bhat said, “Yes, his absence has affected the team’s chances, otherwise we would have been probably at the second spot in points-table.”

Asked about the preparations for PV Sindhu-Suo Di face-off, Bhat said it would be a close contest with the Chinese, but the pressure is on the Indian star and the underdogs have an advantage of playing freely without any pressure.

“We are expecting a very close contest between Di and Sindhu, but the pressure is on the latter. The underdogs always have an advantage to play freely, without much pressure,” Bhat said.

Meanwhile, Bangalore Top Guns is hoping to gain five points from their last league match against Chennai Smashers here on Wednesday and grab a place in the semifinals of the Premier badminton League. The Top Guns are languishing at the bottom of the table with eight points and they need a big win against Chennai, who are at 13 points, to qualify for the semi-finals.

The visitors have lost just one tie and won rest three so far in the tournament and Bangalore coach Arvind Bhat feels it will be a tough task.