HYDERABAD, Dec 26: The North Eastern Warriors (NEW) will look for a turnaround to their fortunes when skipper Saina Nehwal takes the court for the first time in the 4th Vodafone Premier Badminton League (PBL) against Mumbai Rockets, the No. 2 team on the leaderboard with five points, here tomorrow.
With a close 2-3 win-loss record out of the five ties in their last fixture, the Warriors, led by India�s first woman to win an Olympic bronze Saina, will be looking to unleash their firepower when they take on the Mumbai Rockets.�If she provides the start that NEW wants, it will be a great�inspiration�to the players following her.�
�It wasn�t the start that we were expecting, but we drew satisfaction from the success of Rituparna when she beat Kirsty Gilmore, a top 50 ranked player and Tian backing with a brilliant game. We are confident of a fresh start as the team has regrouped and we aim to have the first win tomorrow,� said a confident Saina.
On personal count, she added: �I had not played the last match, but I am practising and moving well on the court, so will do whatever is best possible for the team�s success.�
And without a doubt, Saina will want Chinese Tian Houwei, the winner of China Masters Open who made his debut last year against Delhi Dashers, to do his�part as well as he did the other night in Mumbai. Tanongsak Sansomboonsuk, the first Thai shuttler to win a Superseries, has loads of experience and credentials � seven SEA Games medals and the 2010 Asian Games bronze medal in his swelling kitty � to do a thorough job in singles.�
NEW also has a good mix of doubles players in Kim Ha Na � she won her first title in India Open in 2012. The silver medal winner at the Incheon Games in 2014 is a tricky customer and possesses the strokes and guile of a mixed doubles pair to outdo the best in business. After having had a quiet year, she will look to prove her worth.
Former World No. 2 and a South Korean stalwart, Yoo Yeon Seong was a vital cog in the title-winning efforts of Hyderabad Hunters last season. He brings in not only the experience but also a big boost to Warriors� doubles lineup and the PBL veteran will look to make his experience count along with Liao Min Chun, the 2014 Games bronze winner. The Taiwanese, a star attraction in the lineup, with his experience can provide the edge that NE Warriors needs.
