HYDERABAD
“We will be the most studied players now after the Asian Games gold and we are aware of the need to be ready for any fresh challenges,” said shuttler R. Satwiksairaj, who with his partner Chirag Shetty, won the Asian Games men’s doubles gold last week.
“Not long ago, nobody cared for us. But, we are aware now that players across the world will make a critical analysis of our skills and techniques,” Satwik said on his return to the City on Wednesday.
“Now, I am not thinking about the opponents. The biggest opponent is my body and I have to stay injury free to continue to keep doing well,” Satwik said, flanked by chief coach P. Gopi Chand and Asiad men’s singles medal winner H.S. Prannoy.
“The intensive training in the air-conditioned indoor hall at Gopi-Kotak Academy here before the Asiad helped us a lot,” Satwik said.
“We must say we are here before all of you because of Gopi Sir’s efforts,” he added.
Collective decision
For his part, Prannoy said it was a collective decision that made him play in the Asian Games despite an injury.
“I played with a lot of pain. It was a very tough call to make. But we all felt it was a life-time opportunity to win a medal in the Asiad and we went ahead,” Prannoy said, thanking the support staff.
“Earlier the targets were short, like making it to the quarters and semifinals. Now, it is playing three good matches, making it to the finals is the bigger goal. This is helping me a lot,” he said even while thanking the travelling coach R.M.V. Guru Sai Dutt.
Huge risk
Gopi said it was a huge risk taken to play Prannoy but because he was playing so well it was decided to play him in the medal-match (semifinal). “It was an extraordinary performance by Prannoy,” he added. Gopi said overall it had been a great show by India in the Asian Games which was as tough as any Olympics or a World Championship.
“I believe that Satwik and Chirag have been playing like World No.1. pair in the last seven months and the ranking released yesterday only confirmed that ,” he said.
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