Going will be tough for Gopi, Aparna: Prakash

By Our Sports Reporter

BANGALORE, MARCH 5. It will be a tough going for both Pullela Gopi Chand and Aparna Popat in the Yonex All England badminton championship which gets underway in Birmingham on Tuesday, opined Prakash Padukone.

The Indian maestro, who was the mentor for both the players felt that this year's All England championship has a loaded field and despite fairly comfortable first rounds, the Indians face tougher challengers in the round ahead.

``Unlike on previous occasions, when there have been few dropouts, this year's championship has everyone who matters in the game and that is not going to make passage very easy for our players. But I am sure both of them will play well,'' said Prakash.

Gopi Chand, ranked No. 10 in the world and also the 10th seed, will play the Ronald Susilo of Singapore in the opener, but the passage gets rough as he takes on the Olympic champion Ji Xingpeng of China in the pre-quarterfinal round and if he crosses that hurdle, runs into Taufik Hidayath, the Indonesian teen sensation and last year's finalist.

``Gopi has beaten them in the past, but then again, this is All England and both the players would love to give it back,'' said Prakash.

But Prakash felt that the National champion's morale is very high and with no major injuries and good form, Gopi Chand will step out in confidence. ``If he makes the last four, it will be a very impressive achievement,'' said prakash.

On Aparna's chances, Prakash felt that the Indian No.1 has not played in an international tournament for the past six months and a spot in the last 16 or last eight, will be a creditable show for Aparna. The other Indians, who will figure in the main draw are Abhinn Shyam Gupta and Siddarth Jain.

After the All England Championship, the Indians will play in the French Open championship. Gopi Chand, who was scheduled to play in the Swiss Open, has pulled out of it and he will, however, play in the World Grand Prix final in Brunei, starting at the end of the month end.

The French Open, for the first time, is likely to feature new point system, which will officially come into vague from June 1. It will be best of five games of seven points each. ``It should be a novel experience for the Indians, '' said Prakash.

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