Badminton: Gopi Chand bags a double

By S.R. Suryanarayan

JALANDHAR, NOV. 24. Star player P. Gopi Chand, whose presence sends a buzz around, did full justice to his exalted status when he bagged a double crown and helped Andhra Pradesh finish with a rich collection of gold medals on the final day of the badminton events of the National Games here on Saturday.

National champion Gopi Chand would have loved to win the singles title with a fight, but sadly up-and-coming Chetan Anand was so subdued that he virtually gave the honours on a platter. However, the doubles proved a different affair and provided all the thrills absent in the two singles earlier. Gopi and Chetan got together and edged out the established pair of Jaseel P. Ismail and Jaison Xavier, the top seeds from Kerala, in a thriller that went down to the wire.

The women's final earlier was another major let down where the former National champion P.V.V. Laxmi was hardly exerted in her straight-games win over Neelima Choudhary in another all-AP affair.

Considering Chetan's show of tenacity in the earlier rounds, even bouncing back from the brink once, a thriller was what everyone expected. But Chetan was either nervous or overawed by the presence of a famed opponent across the net. ``No not that. I simply could not get going. We used to have tough matches in practice sessions. I do not know why I could not repeat that,'' Chetan summed up, but, truth to tell, he did not seem mentally prepared.

In the seven-point format what sustains the interest are the rallies and the placements at the net. Chetan is adept in net dribbles but barring a brief moment in the second game, he was hardly inspiring. In fact, after losing the first game tamely, Chetan had led 3-1 in the second and that was when Gopi showed his class in smashing to the backcourt and judging the returns directed to his corners. Gopi instantly tilted the lead in his favour. Chetan needed to do something extraordinary if he had to test the ace but that was not to be.

Laxmi is champion

Laxmi is always a gritty performer. Neelima too can be no less. For one coming back into serious badminton after a two-year break, it was a remarkable progress to the final. But there Neelima seemed to put a full stop. Barring the all too brief moments in the first game when Neelima was even on game point, Laxmi was totally in control. Not a cheer was raised in this dour contest that ended abruptly.

Usually the doubles provide thrills through snappy interceptions at the net and the almost endless smash and returns. The men's doubles was replete with this even if the women's competition fell flat, thanks to the overwhelming supremacy of the National champion pair of Jwala Gutta and Shruthi Kurien of Andhra Pradesh. They beat another Andhra pair of D. Swetha and Neelima Choudhary.

Clawing back from a game down, Gopi and Chetan hit back with clever deception in returns. Such was the tension when the score read 6-6 in the final game that Jaison even earned a `warning' for racket abuse, disappointed over a line ruling.

The Men's singles: results (all finals):

P. Gopi Chand (AP) bt Chetan Anand (AP) 7-1, 7-4, 7-4; Doubles: P. Gopi Chand/Chetan Anand (AP) bt Jaseel P. Ismail/Jaison Xavier (Ker) 3-7, 7-5, 4-7, 8-6, 8-6.

Women's singles: P.V.V. Laxmi (AP) bt Neelam Choudhary (AP) 8-6, 7-0, 7-1; Doubles: Jwala Gutta/Shruthi Kurien (AP) bt D. Swetha/Neelima Choudhary (AP) 7- 1, 7-0, 7-1.

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