I’m ready & focused to take on Morgan: Aparna

Sydney: Former world junior runners-up Aparna Popat is all geared to avenge her defeat at the Commonwealth Games to Kally Morgan of England as she opens her campaign in the Olympics badminton competition here on Saturday.

''I am ready to take on Morgan. I am totally focused. I know her game and will like to put up a better show than what I had done last time against her,'' Aparna told UNI.

The girl from Bangalore, who got a wild card entry to the Olympics, had lost to Morgan in the final of the Commonwealth Games 1-2.

Coach S M Arif said he was hopeful that Aparna will give a good fight and added ''she is a very determined player and can upset any one on her day.''

Aparna missed three months of match practice due to the ban imposed on her by the International Badminton Federation (IBF) for taking medicine to treat her cold, which contained some banned stimulant.

She also had an injury. ''How she overcomes this is to be seen,'' Arif said.

He said, ''I do not doubt Aparna's capabilities. She is one of the brightest badminton stars of India, but one has to be objective.

She has just returned to world arena and that too in an Olympic after a long lay off, Let us keep our fingers crossed.''

UNI