Syed Modi India international – The Hindu

K. Srikanth, World No. 1 at one point, is coming to terms with not being even the top Indian in the world rankings at the moment. Injury lay-off for more than four months last year followed by an extended break from the circuit for marriage meant the 32-year old has struggled for both form and fortune.

Not surprising, then, that he is taking it one match at a time on his return to the Syed Modi India international here this time around, insisting even comprehensive wins in the first two rounds against fellow Indians was not an easy outing.

“Everything worked well but I don’t think there are any easy matches. I’m not really thinking too far into the tournament,” Srikanth told The Hindu.

Srikanth.
| Photo Credit:
SANDEEP SAXENA

Having gone down to as low as 82nd in May this year before clawing his way back up, he admitted it was not easy.

“The new BWF points system is a little complicated. And once you drop in rankings, it is very tough to get back because there are no qualifiers for the Super 1000s and 750s and those are the tournaments that give you the maximum points. Keeping that in mind, this tournament is really important, a good performance here is what will take me a little closer to entering into those 750s and 1000s,” he agreed.

In the long term, he still has the Asian Games next year on his radar but for now, he believes in being in the present and doing the hard yards to regain his position in world badminton.

“Ideally, I would not really want to play 100-300. I really want to be in the 750s and 1000s. I really don’t want to go down again from here. I only want to go up,” he declared.