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.”

She’s been on the road since August now, and the sheer hectic nature of the event could make her task difficult. “I don’t want to remember the previous tournaments as just thinking will make me mentally tired. This is a new event, and I’m ready,” she maintains.

Nehwal’s journey into the top flight started with the World Juniors at Incheon two years ago (that was also her last junior tourney), when she unexpectedly stormed into the final before losing to Chinese Wang Yihan. “It might be a junior event, while I’ve moved onto seniors. But I’d lost that final in the individual category, remember,” she stresses.

The Chinese, as secretive as ever about which bunch they have brought, remain formidable opponents. Saina Nehwal, though, will be the name to beat for any junior from any part of the world at this competition.