Gopichand vows to
win All England again

Ace Indian shuttler Pulella Gopichand on Wednesday expressed firm resolve to win the All England championship for a second time.

Talking to reporters in Kanpur, the 2001 All England champion explained that he had suffered a leg injury during the Masters championship in Copenhagean, Denmark, in December 2001, which had effected his performance in subsequent international tournaments, including the All England in March this year.

"Now I have recovered and am trying to regain my previous form which had enabled me to achieve the historic win in London,'' Gopichand said.

"I shall win the prestigious All England championship once again," he added.

The ace shuttler named National champion Abhinn Shyam Gupta and Sachin Ratti as the most promising players in the country and hoped they would achieve landmarks in the international badminton arena.

Earlier, Gopichand was given a grand welcome when he arried in Kanpur to participate in the first All India Harichand Major ranking tournament.

Accompanied by Shyam Gupta, the Hyderabadi was brought to the Green Park Sports Complex, where the tournament is being held, in a tastefully decorated, two-horse driven chariot amid the strains of 'Sare jahan se achchha Hindustan hamara'.