India's chief badminton coach expects in-form Saina, Sindhu and Srikanth to end country's 18-year wait for the prestigious trophy this March
Saina Nehwal (right) won the Indonesia Masters recently, while PV Sindhu clinched her maiden World Tour Finals title last December. Pic/AFP
He was the last to win the All England Championship for India and chief national coach Pullela Gopichand yesterday hoped that one of the three prodigal talents he has shaped will end the 18-year-old title drought at the event this year.
"I hope that we have one of our players win the All-England tournament this time around. We have had good performances by Saina [Nehwal], [PV] Sindhu and [Kidambi] Srikanth has also been in good form. I do expect that we will have a good performance in this year's All-England," Gopichand said.
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Gopichand
"Going in Saina has just won the Indonesian open and Sindhu has also done well. So, I think both of them can do well at the All England as well. "Hopefully we will have some good performances from our players. It is almost 18 years now and I hope that this year we can break the jinx."
Gopichand had claimed the All England Championship in 2001, more than two decades after Prakash Padukone became the first Indian to achieve the feat in 1980. Srikanth, who had clinched four titles in 2017, endured a title-less season last year and Gopichand said he expects the Indian to do well this year. "Srikanth has played well. He is somebody whom I expect will do well in the year," he said.
Bindra, Gopi in jury of Sports Honours
Olympic champ Abhinav Bindra and badminton coach Pullela Gopichand have been named jury members for the Indian Sports Honours to be presented in Mumbai on February 16. The jury also includes Sardar Singh, Mahesh Bhupathi, PT Usha and Anjali Bhagwat.
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