New Delhi, Dec 05: It’ll be a battle of the hard-hitters when Saina Nehwal plays German Juliane Schenk for a place in the final of the Super Series Masters on Saturday. The Indian world No 8 had a good workout on Friday against Thai Porntip Buranaprasertsuk, a similarly aggressive shuttler, winning 21-13 21-19 in 33 minutes, but runs into one of Europe’s fittest players now.
“Schenk’s very attacking, and I’ll have to be ready for her big shots. But I’ve beaten her in France recently so I’m hoping to get past her,” the 19-year-old, who admits to not being a cent per cent fit going into the season-ender, said. “I feel a little unfit, but I’m managing. Even today, though Buranaprasertsuk had come out strongly, I caught her on the net,” Nehwal added.
Nehwal offered a steady defence and excelled in the dribbles in her final group match — a must-win for her. Nehwal had started the tournament a little shakily, losing to Malaysian Mew Choo Wong, but believes she has found her footing after two straight-game wins.
“In my first match I was a little nervous, and very erratic, unsure of my strokes. But I’m playing well now and am more assured of my strokes,” Nehwal added.
Dangerous opponent
Still, Schenk, 27 and well-built, is a dangerous opponent after her rise to No 9 in the rankings with some good results in the latter half of the year. Schenk will pose expected, one-dimensional attacking, but also a potent challenge. “I won’t go into the match thinking of her as as the world No 9. But any semi-final is a tough match,” Nehwal said.
The mixed doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and V Diju also made the semis after a clinical swatting of Anugritayawon Songphon and Voravichitchaikul Kunchala, winning 21-12 21-8.
“Today we were very confident. Even yesterday we had played a good, solid match despite trailing in both games,” Gutta said.
The Indian, though, has her fingers crossed ahead of their semi-final match against the Polish pair of Robert Mateusiak and Nadiezda Kostiuczyk as she is still recovering from a leg infection and the draining effects of antibiotics.
“I’m not expecting too much as I’m not sure how I will hold up,” the 26-year-old, who was literally shivering on the court in the first match, said. The Indians had beaten the ninth-ranked Poles in the pre-quarters of the world championships in Hyderabad, but will be wary of the Europeans who have been in good form. “Reaching the semi-finals of a big event is an achievement, but I’d like to think of it as just another match and not put pressure on myself,” Gutta said.
–Agencies