Will start afresh at Worlds: Srikanth

He has had a brilliant season so far winning successive Super Series titles, but shuttler Kidambi Srikanth wants to “begin afresh” in the world championships.

“I am playing really well and am confident. But everyone comes with full fitness for such a big event. So for me it is not about thinking what I would do if I reach the final but about how I will play in the first round,” Srikanth was quoted as saying.

“I got a big break after the three events. After such a break the first rounds are also very tough, so I am taking it match by match and haven’t set targets,” added the shuttler, whose mid-season surge saw him rise to the top of the Destination Dubai rankings.

Srikanth said he would give his “hundred per cent” in the opening round at the Worlds, given that even a slight dip in performance could be costly.

“Every opponent is different and all the top 20 are playing well and it is about playing 100 per cent from the first round itself,” said the former world no. 3, who faces Russia’s Sergey Sirant in the first round of the Glasgow event beginning August 21.

“When you play an unseeded player, he doesn’t have anything to lose while you will have pressure, so you cannot expect to win if you play at 90 per cent.”

The 24-year-old said he doesn’t think much about his opponents as he believes it is all about how he conducts himself during the match. “I don’t really want to think what others are thinking, I just want to think about my game. It is not about others, it is about me, what I feel during a match and how I really play my best during the match,” the eighth seeded Indian said.

“I am someone who believes that it is 90 per cent hard work and 10 per cent luck. So during a match, it is 90 per cent my hard work, and rest 10 per cent is about luck. At 2019, there is not much to plan, you depend on luck for your opponent to make a mistake,” he explained.

Asked if there would be pressure, Srikanth said, “These big events have pressure because people want to do well, so there will be definitely pressure but I can only think about doing well.”

A Roger Federer fan, Srikanth said the legend’s win at Wimbledon inspired him. “It is always a big motivation for me to see Federer make a comeback from injury and win a Grand Slam at this age. His will is very strong, he dominated everyone. He really let loose in the Wimbledon and won it without losing a set. Those scores, beating a younger opponent in final, these are inspiring factors.”

All the top 20 are playing well and it is about playing 100 per cent from the first round itself KIDAMBI SRIKANTH SHUTTLER