‘Gopichand Academy stint has raised my game’

With the North Zone tournament being played only in the team format,Akshit will be playing along with six players in the Haryana team. A top spot in the championship will see the team qualifying for the Senior Nationals to be held in Srinagar in the month of September. The 19-year-old shuttler is also preparing for the singles’ category in the senior nationals.

“The North Zone championship will prepare me well for the National Championship. Even though the North Zone tournament will be played in a team format,the presence of India’s top ranked shuttlers from Delhi and other states will make it more competitive. Conditions will be tough in Srinagar,but participation of India’s top ranked shuttlers will make the battle fierce and exciting,” told Akshit,who shifted his training base to Hyderabad earlier this year.

Mahajan has been training under two Indonesian coaches at the Gopichand Academy and believes that the time spent at the academy has helped him improve his skills. “When I enrolled at the academy,I was bit nervous,but Gopi Sir made sure that we all felt at home. The Indonesian coaches have been working on smashes and drop shots in an intense manner. Gopi Sir trains us every day for few hours and it is a great learning experience,” felt Mahajan.

With Saina Nehwal winning the bronze medal in London Olympics,the youngsters at the academy are aiming to play in more rankings tournaments with their eyes set on big tournaments. “Saina met us a few days ago. It was a motivating experience for all of us. We have recently shifted to the senior level and playing well in the rankings tournaments will be the key for us,” concluded Mahajan.