Date:27/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/27/stories/2008092752172000.htm

Sport - Badminton

South Zone badminton from today

PUDUCHERRY: The three-day South Zone inter-state badminton championship, which begins at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium here on Saturday will, essentially, be a tussle for one lone spot — the winner qualifies for the National inter-state championship — between Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh in each of the four categories, namely men, women, junior (under-19) boys and girls.

Puducherry and Tamil Nadu complete the lineup of teams; Andaman and Nicobar Islands has pulled out.

It is widely felt that the honours will be split between Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, leaving only the crumbs to the rest.

In the men’s section, last year’s champion Karanataka and runner-up Kerala have been given first-round byes while in the women’s category, it will be Kerala and AP who will directly enter the second round.

Being a team competition, strategy and doubles pairing could play a major role. Three singles and two doubles matches will comprise the men’s team event while the rest will have two singles and one doubles.

Coaches confident

Karnataka coach Vinod feels his women’s team is better placed to reach the final.

“Comparitively we have a stronger women’s side. In the men’s, other teams like TN, Kerala, and AP are quite strong,” he said.

Andhra coach J. Rajendra Kumar is banking on his boys to come up trumps. “Our boys team is capable of winning the title,” he said. “We have the India junior No.1 Guru Sai Dutt who can compete competently in singles and doubles,” he added. M.L. Narendran, Kerala’s coach, is quite confident that his boys’ and girls’ teams have the ability to bag the honours. “We have H.S. Prannoy, who can play both singles and doubles, and in girls we have good doubles combination in Megha Merin Ninan and P.S. Linomol,” he said. Four matches have been scheduled for Saturday. Tamil Nadu boys will clash with Puducherry while Kerala girls will take on TN.

In the men’s section, AP meets Pondicherry while Tamil Nadu women clash with Pondicherry. T.P. Surti is the referee. — Principal Correspondent