Sharath hopes to maintain ranking

Kolkata: India`s number one paddler Achanta Sharath Kamal hopes to maintain his world ranking till June to

secure an Olympic berth. Having made to the no 2 club in Germany, Ochsenhausen, the current world ranked 40 said it was really big to get a base in the European nation where the practice condition is excellent. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the 72nd Senior National table tennis championship here, the Commonwealth Games doubles gold medallist said: "At the moment I am looking to qualify for the Olympics directly. This is going to happen by June 1. By then I should be within top 40 in the world." Twenty eight direct entries with two from each country will secure an Olympic berth. "If someone else also can make it, we can have a chance in the team competition," he said. "The Federation is also trying to help me to play the pro-tours. After this I have the England Open and the Qatar Open, where I am defending some points. Playing well in these tournaments will help me defend some points to remain in the top 40." He said it was tough to make a club in Germany where only one foreigner is allowed per club. He had to wait till he won the Egypt Open. "It`s the strongest nation in Europe. Germany are also the Olympics silver medallist. I get good practice partners and good practice conditions. Basically the players are very strong there and so is the system," he said. Kamal said, "I wanted to go to Germany in 2009. But I couldn`t, as I was too weak for the league. Even being World No 70, I was weak for the league. "Because only one foreign player is allowed for a club and generally that place is occupied by a Chinese, Japanese or a Korean. So even if an Indian is good, the Chinese are preferred because of their brand value. So that was one thing why I couldn`t get in." Kamal ended the year 2010 on a high having won a five star tournament in Egypt Open beside his victories in US Open, a Commonwealth Games doubles gold with Subhajit Saha and a bronze in the team event. "Luckily I could get in because I won the US Open and the Egypt Open. With it I broke into the top 50 in the world. Then they started taking note of me," the unassuming Sharath Kamal said. "Even in the beginning I had to struggle. All the clubs were not ready to take me until the last club. But even there I had to make a lot of sacrifices. But I didn`t hesitate as I wanted to get a footing into the German system," he said. "It`s the second-best club in Europe. I am paying a rent of 200 Euros for the flat I am staying in. I had been staying in a studio room, but the club gave me a bigger flat. So, I am lucky on that part," he said. Asked about the Indians` performance, Sharath Kamal said things were improving in the academic-oriented nation where sport was never a first priority. "The Indians lack on the fitness side only. As far as the mental side is concerned we are better than the rest. Given a 50-50 situation, when we have to pull it off, we Indians pull it off.” "Sports have developed since the new millennium. A lot of people have the passion for sports. But due to studies or for their profession, they have to give up on sports. We are getting better, we are developing," he said. Recalling about his early days of 1993, he said, in terms of infrastructure things were improving. "When I played my first national camp (in 1993) and compared to what conditions these guys are getting now is vastly different. They are playing on red floor (synthetic floor) which is expensive but available everywhere now.” "We used to play on slippery wooden floors. I played on floors where it was difficult to stand. From that sort of an infrastructre, we have gone to a position where we are hosting the Commonwealth Games. It shows the outlook towards sports has developed. We are gradually turning professional. Hope our performance inspires others," he signed off. PTI