Don’t want to interfere in Saina’s game: Pullela Gopichand

Mumbai: Saina Nehwal’s former coach Pullela Gopichand was happy with her silver medal-winning effort in the just concluded World Championships in Jakarta. The national badminton coach however didn’t wish to meddle in her game any further in the challenge for an elusive gold medal at the Rio Olympics.

“Saina came up with a very good performance. She is confident and I’m happy she is playing well. She needs now to keep winning big events and target an Olympic medal at Rio. She has her personal coach and I don’t want to interfere. Let her coach handle it,” said Gopichand.

The former All England champion was honoured by cyber gaming hub Smaaash Sports Foundation for his contribution to Indian badminton through a joint initiative called “Celebrate Sports” with Bawraas and handed a cheque of '5 lakh for his academy in Hyderabad.

Gopichand said he was satisfied at the performance of India’s shuttlers in the singles events. “It was a very good performance from our players. We got bronze medals in the last two editions and this time we went a step further to bag silver,” he said.

“P.V. Sindhu was fantastic and very positive. She had few months off for injury but with that done, she is getting into her own. All three men’s singles players (Srikanth Kidambi, P. Kashyap and H.S. Prannoy) also did well. The way they played, there is lot of hope,” he said.

Gopichand also hailed world no. 10 women’s doubles players Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa for their display and hoped new Malaysian doubles specialist coach Tan Kim Her would bring more results.

He, however, said it wouldn’t be easy to win a medal at the Rio Olympics. “There is a possibility of winning medals but there are strong countries, strong players, so it will not be easy.”