Banging on the doors of badminton’s world top-10 and playing her first world-level event in India, Saina Nehwal is expected to do what Paes-Bhupathi do for tennis in the Davis Cup — start a tie assuring a 1-0 lead — with which India can push oppositions into tight psychological corners.

Nehwal starts off on her latest assignment at the BWF World Junior Championship here in Pune in the mixed team event. The more important of the four group ties of the team event scheduled for October 24-27 will see the 18-year-old take on singles specialists from Hong Kong and Singapore; Russia and Sri Lanka are the relative minnows.

“With Saina playing, you can start one match up. She can even chip in for the mixed doubles and women’s doubles,” says Guru Sai Dutt, India’s top singles player, who himself is in good form after his title at the recent Commonwealth Youth Games.

Ranked eighth in the team event, India will look to better their previous showing of quarter-final appearances, and Nehwal, who’s had a tremendous run in the seniors, looks likely to blunt rivals with the crowds rooting for her. They surprised her by packing the stadium for three days of the CYG, and Nehwal insists they’ll mean more motivation, less pressure.

The drift, caused by the stadium A/C, has rendered stroke-making unpredictable. Nehwal admits she was caught unawares in her final against Sikki Reddy a week ago. “But it’s the same for everyone, so it won’t matter much.”

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