Kashyap eyes semis, Guru aims to create some upsets in Macau
Indian shuttler P Kashyap has now set his eyes on emulating the achievement in the Kumpoo Macau Open Badminton Championships starting at Macau on Monday.
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New Delhi: High on confidence after his
his semi-final finish at the Singapore Open, Indian shuttler P
Kashyap has now set his eyes on emulating the achievement in
the Kumpoo Macau Open Badminton Championships starting at
Macau on Monday.
The 12th seed Indian has been in good form of late and
said although the field is tough, he has backed himself to
reach the semi-finals.
"It is a tough field as all the top players including Lee
Chong Wei, Kenichi Tago, Simon Santoso are playing in the
tournament. But I have worked hard on my game and I hope to
reach the semi-finals at least," said Kashyap, who will take
on Swede Magnus Sahlberg in the first round.
"The first round should be ok. But Tago will be a
difficult opponent but I have done well in Singapore and my
fitness have improved so I hope to do well in Macau," he said.
Compatriot RMV Gurusaidutt, who finished runners-up at
India Open in Chennai last month, is also hoping to create
some upsets in the tournament.
"I have played well in the last six months. I finished
runners-up in India Open and lost many close matches with top
players. So I am confident that I can create a few upsets in
the tournament," Gurusaidutt said.
"The field is good. There are some very good players but
I feel it is a decent draw. In the first round I am playing a
qualifier and probably should face 16th seed Kazushi Yamada in
the second round. I am confident of beating him," he added.
The 20-year-old Indian said adjusting to the drift inside
the stadium in Macau would be important.
"I have to adjust to the conditions as soon as possible.
One has to know how to negotiate with the drifts during these
international tournaments. I have to learn to control the
shuttles and be more consistent with my strokes," he said.
Gurusaidutt also said he has put on weight which allows
him to improve his repertoire of strokes.
"I have put on weight and become stronger physically now
so it would be a good experience as I am fit and my strokes
have also improved," he said.
"Initially I was poor in finishing off the rallies but I
have been practicing attacking rallies with Gopi (Pullela
Gopichand) sir and Bhaskar Babu," he added.
Gurusaidutt has also set his eyes on breaking into the
top 20 ranking by this year end but said for that to achieve,
he has to keep himself injury free.
"The main focus would be to stay injury free and I hope
to break into the top 20 by this year end. I am ranked 40 now
and top 20 would be the goal this year," he said.
In the women`s singles, Aditi Mutatkar will take on
Chinese Xuerui Li, who had defeated world number two Indian
Saina Nehwal in the semi-finals at the Asian Badminton
Championship earlier this year.
PTI
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