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Journalism of Courage
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This is an archive article published on October 23, 2005
Finally, Kurien makes the cut
Two years is too long a period for any top pro not to have reached the finals of an event. And Thomas Kurien admitted the frustration of mis...
Two years is too long a period for any top pro not to have reached the finals of an event.
And Thomas Kurien admitted the frustration of missing quite a few of them until his defining moment arrived this evening when he beat Iran8217;s Golam Bagheri 15-5, 15-6 to set up a final against Anand Pawar in the Asian Satellite Badminton championships at the Siri Fort Complex here today.
Pawar beat Malaysian fifth seed Lim Kenn 15-12, 15-3 in the semifinals.
Kurien knows his job won8217;t be easy against a player who has caught the eye here. 8216;8216;Golam is a much improved player today than when I played in Pakistan last year. But I will have to be extra careful against Pawar,8217;8217; he said.
If Kurien8217;s strong point is net play and keeping his opponent rooted to the backcourt, Pawar relies on his power play and going for smashes even from acute angles.
That8217;s precisely what he did against the Malaysian left-hander, who ousted top-seed Abhinn Shyam Gupta yesterday.
The Malaysian junior champion, though negotiated the Indian well in the first set, he was found wanting in the second as Pawar allowed very little leeway for him to exploit.
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Top-seed Aparna Popat8217;s experience held her in good stead as she overcame a stubborn B.R. Meenakshi, while second-seed younger Saina Nehwal made short work of Trupti Mrugunde 3-11, 11-3, 11-6, after losing the first set.
Aparna failed to cope with the fast Meenakshi and time and again tall Karnataka girl pinned down Aparna to the baseline before employing her smashes to good effect.
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