Guangzhou: India's Saina Nehwal admitted she will have to get rid of the rust if she is to remain India's next big hope for a gold medal at the 16th Asian Games here.
A rusty-looking Nehwal advanced into the singles quarter-finals of the women's badminton here last night, but not before she showed minor chinks against her Malaysian opponent Lydia Cheah at the Tianhe Stadium.
The Indian, seeded number two at this competition due to her world number five ranking, was clinical at most times, but also faltered on concentration while overcoming her Malaysian opponent 21-15, 21-17 to set herself up in the singles quarter-finals.
Her next opponent will be a fast-improving Ma Hsiao Pai of Chinese Taipei, and Nehwal is aware that she has to raise her game.
"I will definitely have to play better than this as she [Ma Hsiao Pai] has been improving quite a bit in recent months," Nehwal told Gulf News. "There were some points that I should have won easily, but there was a lapse in concentration on my part," she admitted.
Bungle up
Nehwal was up 11-5 in the first set, but somehow allowed her Malaysian opponent to fight back to 10-13. But then it was Cheah's turn to bungle up as she sent a serve into the net at a crucial juncture allowing Nehwal to break free and take the set 21-15.
In the second set, the Indian was solid keeping Cheah on the back foot most of the time to take an early 6-0 lead which went up 11-4 at the first time-out. But once again, Nehwal let her guard down giving Cheah enough time to win six points on the trot before wrapping up set and match 21-17. "Normally, these things should not be happening. But it is better to allow these lapses early in a tournament than later," Nehwal said.
"Besides, I have not touched the racquet for the past three days and that may be the result of some misjudgements on court. However, I am focused at the moment and will take it one match at a time," she added.
After their best-ever showing at last month's Commonwealth Games on home soil, India have won just one gold medal through Pankaj Advani's top finish in the billiards here so far. And with the world No 5 starting her campaign here, much is expected that she will make it to the podium.
