IBL 2013: Many points went against me, says Saina Nehwal

Mumbai: Her team Hyderabad Hotshots may have easily downed the high flying Pune Pistons 4-1 but Saina Nehwal, who won a crucial point for her side after a grim struggle against world number three Juliane Schenk, said she was unhappy with some of the rulings of the umpire. “In second set, I felt many points went against me. Many line judgements, obviously mistakes could happen, I just felt they went against me. It was not one or two but five or six. I was not happy. Umpires should overrule also. It’s his duty but I think none of the calls were overruled. Finally we pulled out the match. Just leave the negative things and it is all good,” Saina told reporters last night. [caption id=“attachment_1046983” align=“aligncenter” width=“380”]  Saina Nehwal had to dig deep to win her singles match against Pune Pistons. PTI[/caption] The Hyderabadi said she lost her composure after many decisions did not go in her favour. “(In the second set) I just lost control and got a little bit aggressive. I was leading well but she equalled it. But then I tried to just stay calm and had long rallies with her. I think that really worked well. She was getting tired. In third set I felt she was giving away points because she was tired,” she said. The 23-year-old made a comeback after losing the first game to notch up a win against the German 17-21 21-19 11-6. The London Olympic Games bronze medallist admitted that it was a tough match that went on for close to an hour. “Schenk is a world class player. For a long time, I have been having tough fights with her. Last year I had defeated her quite easily but this year in Indonesia Open she beat me. It was a tough match. In first set, since she was on the faster side, her strokes were falling sharply. “Always one side is going to be against you (because of the AC) but in third game I was good from the slower side. I just tried to maintain the pace because obviously she had quite a few sharp strokes which I couldn’t take in the first set. But third set was quite good. I was moving for all the strokes very well.” “I was just ready for a long match. She is a tough player and that is what happened. She just kept on fighting till the last point,” she said. The world number four enjoys a superior win-loss record of 9-4 against Schenk and admitted she feels comfortable playing against her. “I just play my game with her. Obviously many players find her game difficult but somehow I just get adjusted to her game. She always tells me that I give her a tough fight. It happens because we have a similar kind of a game,” she said. The Hyderabad franchise is the table-topper after last night’s win, with 11 points, and Nehwal said is looking forward to tough games ahead. “I can’t see it (the team) better than this. Pune Pistons who had won their previous two games quite easily, we beat them. I just want my team to give hundred per cent in each of the match. “None of the matches would be easy now. All are tough (games). Next match we are playing against Mumbai, so that would be even tougher. I just wish they give their best in the next coming matches. The way our team played today, I am very happy with the performance,” she said. Nehwal further said the team benefited has from Taufik Hidayat’s tips as they never expected Ajay Jayaram to stun world number five Tien Minh Nyugen. “He (Hidayat) is a great player and being the coach (today) he gave us very good advice. On court he uses his mind very well. His tips were very good for not only me but Ajay (Jayaram) also. He (Ajay) pulled out the match that we never thought he could pull out and that too with an easy score. “He (Hidayat) is a very good coach but it just depends on the interest to go ahead with it. I somehow feel he is not that much interested in coaching but since he is here as a player that (he) is helping us out. That is a very good thing about him,” she added. Asked if the first match that Ajay won eased out the pressure on the team, she said, “Ajay pulled out the first match. But the second against Schenk was quite tough too. In mixed doubles they (Pune) have a great team. We were also expecting Rupesh (Kumar) and Sanave (Thomas) to play well and they did. After his (Ajay) match also we were still very doubtful and then when I pulled my match, it was quite good after that.” PTI