Bangalore, May 25: India's top-ranked Badmintion player Nikhil Kanetkar said today he has decided to have a training stint with Bjoern Joppien, one of Germany's top shuttlers, during July-August. Kanetkar, ranked 51 in the world, said that he would be training for about a month with Joppien, world number 27, in Langenfeld Club where, P Gopichand had played prior to his All England Championship triumph in 2001.
Playing in German league is not a new thing for 24-year-old Kanetkar, who featured for Bisphmisheim Club in the Second Division last year. The club has since been promoted to the First Division and he would be playing for it this year as well. Cancellation of a few tournaments following the SARS scare has hit Kanetkar's plans to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games as he could not pick up valuable points.
Kanetkar believes a ranking of about 40 should enable one to qualify. Right now, he is working on "new plans" with coach Ganguly Prasad at Sports Authority of India here and keen to get the berth at Athens. Meanwhile, Kanetkar and Abhinn Shyam Gupa would lead India's challenge in the world badminton championship, which has been rescheduled to take place from July 28 in Birmigham. Bureau Report