Badminton: Jwala-Diju aim to break into top five
Jwala Gutta and Velliavetil Diju are aiming to make it to the top five in the mixed doubles world rankings ahead of the Japan Super Series badminton championships in Tokyo.The duo made it to the semi-finals of the China Masters last week, their best result at the Super Series events. The pair will start their campaign in Tokyo on Wednesday.Diju said he believes that he and Jwala belonged among the top combinations in the game.”The way we are playing now it is quite clear that we belong at the elite level. In the China Masters, we beat the world’s second and fifth-ranked pairs. That in itself is an achievement for us,” Diju told MAIL TODAY from the Japanese capital.”Right now our aim is to break into the top five. We are confident that if we can maintain this form, it is a matter of time that we can achieve that. It is more a case of us believing in ourselves more than anything else,” he said.Diju also felt that but for some unforced errors, they could have beaten the Korean pair of Yeong Yong San and Yan Jan in the semi-finals in China.”After winning the opening game 21-6, we relaxed. I am not trying to take any credit away from the Korean pair but the fact is that we were unable to capitalise on the chances which came our way. We will not make the same mistakes when we play them the next time,” he said. Jwala felt that after a long time, the two were at their best.advertisement”Our understanding was excellent and Diju was smashing at his best.”Saina seeded 4thSaina Nehwal is the fourth seed in the women’s section at the Japan Super Series. The Hyderabadi is drawn to play Thailand’s Incheonton Raparkal. Saina, who lost in the quarter-finals at the China Masters, will in all likelihood face another Thai Salakjit Polsana in the second round.In the men’s draw, Ajay Jayaram has been handed a tough draw as he is pitted against Vietnam’s Tien Minh Nguyen in the opener. The Indian has regained fitness after an abdominal muscle tear at the China Masters.Periappali Kashyap has been drawn to play against Victor Axelsen of Denmark in the opener.