Legendary Malaysian badminton player Rashid Sidek says India’s Saina Nehwal looks good to win a medal at the World championships next month in China. ‘I think India definitely has a chance of winning a medal at the World Championships. Saina really has a good chance as her game has the quality to win medals. Whether it is a gold, silver or bronze is up to her.
About the rest of the players, I am not sure,’ the 1996 Atlanta Olympics men’s singles bronze medallist said on Friday.
India till date has won only two bronze medals at the Tier-1 event. Prakash Padukone won in men’s singles way back in 1983 at Copenhagen while women’s doubles pair Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa did it in 2011 at London.
‘But not winning at worlds does not mean Indian shuttlers are not good. I follow Indian badminton and I think they are quite good. In men’s singles they are performing well at the international stage. Your coach (Pullela) Gopichand has done a good job finding good players, improving them and the result is that Indians are seen in quarterfinals and semifinals of Super Series and winning Grands Prix,’ said the 45-year-old, who also won two men’s singles golds at the 1990 and 1994 Commonwealth Games.
About the rest of the players, I am not sure,’ the 1996 Atlanta Olympics men’s singles bronze medallist said on Friday.
India till date has won only two bronze medals at the Tier-1 event. Prakash Padukone won in men’s singles way back in 1983 at Copenhagen while women’s doubles pair Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa did it in 2011 at London.
‘But not winning at worlds does not mean Indian shuttlers are not good. I follow Indian badminton and I think they are quite good. In men’s singles they are performing well at the international stage. Your coach (Pullela) Gopichand has done a good job finding good players, improving them and the result is that Indians are seen in quarterfinals and semifinals of Super Series and winning Grands Prix,’ said the 45-year-old, who also won two men’s singles golds at the 1990 and 1994 Commonwealth Games.