Arif optimistic

NEW DELHI, FEB 7. ``I am very hopeful of our Thomas Cup team qualifying (for the finals) for the first time after 1988,'' said the chief coach of the Indian badminton team, Mohammed Arif, at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here on Monday.

Into their second day of practice, after having reached here from Bangalore on Saturday, the Indian teams for the Asian Zone qualifiers of the Thomas Cup-Uber Cup competitions, were still getting used to the draught in the huge arena at the I. G. Stadium. ``It will take a day more perhaps,'' said Arif as he explained the slight dip in standards compared to the camp in Bangalore.

The zonal qualifiers for the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup is to be held from February 13 to 20. Three teams each from the men's (Thomas Cup) and women's (Uber Cup) competitions will qualify for the finals to be held in Kuala Lumpur in May. The host, Malaysia, will be a direct entry in the finals in both sections along with the defending champions, Indonesia in men's and China in the women's section. Three teams each will come through from the European zone qualifiers.

``We are pinning our main hopes on the singles players in all matches in Thomas Cup. However, it will be important if at least one of our doubles teams is able to pull off a crucial match. We are keeping all our options open as far as the doubles combinations are concerned,'' said Arif. Even Gopi Chand, India's No. 1 singles player, might be fielded in the doubles, if the situation demanded, he added.

India is grouped in the semifinal round of the Thomas Cup qualifiers with Japan and South Korea along with a qualifying team. In the Uber Cup competition, India will have to come through a five-team round-robin to get into the main groups.

``Our men's team looks stronger than the women,'' said coach Uday Pawar. The women's team should top the round-robin involving Australia, Jamaica, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, according to the coaches. After that it is going to be a tough grind, they felt.

Aparna Popat, India's No. 1 woman singles player, had not made it from Bangalore as she was suffering from a throat infection. She should be here by Tuesday or Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Indira Gandhi Stadium is being spruced up for the big occasion which should see some top-notchers from China, Chinese Taipei and Korea in the women's section and Indonesia, Korea and Japan in the women's section.

- Our Special Correspondent.

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