Saina Nehwal's performance in Indonesia Open satisfactory

Terming the performance of Saina Nehwal in the Indonesia Open Super Series tourney as satisfactory, national coach Pullela Gopichand today said the badminton ace lost a keenly contested match against China's Yihan Wang after doing well in the tournament.

"Saina played excellently in the final match and lost to Wang in a keenly contested match to miss her hat-trick. She is suffering from minor injuries but she is fit," the former All England Badminton Champion told reporters here.

Nehwal went down to Wang 12-21, 23-21, 14-21 in a gruelling tussle in the final of the Indonesia Open Super Series badminton on Sunday.

On the Badminton World Federation's decision to make it mandatory for women to wear skirts during tournaments, he said players should decide on their own what they want to wear and what not.

Gopichand said said Saina, P Kashyap and Anurag Thakkar had the potential to emerge as world-class players. If they get proper training and coaches, then they can also perform better at international events, he said.

In order to produce quality players, the country must provide as many coaching facilities as possible and also appoint foreign coaches for giving proper training, he added.

Gopichand arrived here on the invitation of Madhya Pradesh Sports and Youth Welfare Ministry for the selection of promising players in the age group of 9-12 years.

He said he had high hopes from the State Badminton Academy's Samir, Sourabh and Anurag Thakkar, who have just stepped into the international arena.

Praising the facilities at the State Badminton Academy at Gwalior, Gopichand said such facilities should also be provided at the district and tehsil level.