Back to serious business

THE PARTY is over and Pullela Gopi Chand is back to serious business. The 27-year-old All England champion is the man to beat in the World Championships in Seville and he will also don the mantle of the main singles player in the Sudirman Cup mixed team championship, which precedes that event. The responsibility seems to sit lightly on his broad shoulders and looks forward to the challenges. In a chat with ` TheHindu', he spoke about the camp and his plans.

On camp: This camp for the Sudirman Cup and the World Championships went on well and I have trained hard. There were two main areas I concentrated on, that is my back court play and defence and I guess , the game looks much sharper now.

On Sudirman Cup: I consider that as important as the World Championships. Since I get to play the men's singles tie, I want to give the team a good start and I am sure the rest will follow it up and do their jobs well.

World Championships: I will go match by match.At this level, there are no weak rivals, everybody is good and one has to be 100 per cent, fit and stay focussed. I had beaten some big names at the All England. I cannot specify who will be the main rival, because as I said , at this level, all are good.

On pressure: It is part of the game. There has been pressure on me ever since I became the No.1 player in the country four or five years ago.

Plans after World Championship: I plan to play in the Malaysian Open and World Grand Prix final. Maybe if dates don't clash I will play in the Singapore Open and a few other events also.

Changes after All England win: Nothing really has changed .I am the same old Gopi, yes I am happy with the attention I am getting and I am grateful to the Government for its recognition. But I think the best thing about the win is that it has given me lot of confidence.

On meditation, his fad: It is not a fad, I have been attending the `Art of Living ' course conducted by Ravishankar Ji for the past three years. It has relieved my stress and helped me concentrate better . Earlier I was prone to injuries , but after meditation, I have not suffered any serious injuries. I guess it is good for my body and soul.

On the contribution of coaches: To each one, I owe something, Arif Sir made me a dedicated player. I am thankful to Prakash Padukone, for the help and sponsorship that his Academy gave me , when I really needed it . Ganguly Prasad, prior to the All England Championship worked hard with me and helped me to refine my game at SAI. I am what I am today, because of them.

- K.A.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Sport
Previous : The expectations are pretty high
Next     : The 64 squares could merge with five rings soon