New Delhi, Nov 17: Newly-crowned China Open champion Kidambi Srikanth Monday said he never took the victory for granted and never believed that he could pull it off until he won as he knew that his opponent in the final - two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan of China - could make a comeback at any point.
A Pullela Gopichand protege, Srikanth created history Sunday by becoming the first Indian male shuttler to bag a Super Series Premier title when he defeated five-time World Champion 'Super' Dan in straight games of the men's singles final in Fuzhou.
'Everybody wants me to win more tournaments'
Often touted as the next big thing of Indian badminton, the reigning national champion does not see the expectations from him as pressure. On the contrary, he says, it gives him the motivation to perform better.
"I take them only as an encouragement. Everybody wants me to win more tournaments and it only means that I have so many well wishers and I am very happy to know that," said Srikanth, who trains at the Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad.
"My family was very happy with the win and yesterday was Gopi bhaiya's birthday so my win is like his birthday gift."
The shy lad from Guntur now has a real chance of playing in the year-ending Super Series Finals which will be held in Dubai Dec 17-21. Only the top-8 of the Super Series rankings play the prestigious event and Srikanth in currently ranked No.9. When the rankings are revised Thursday, the Andhra lad is surely to make it to top-8.
"I now have a real chance of playing the Super Series Finals. I am very happy and excited about it. But for now, I just want to play well at the Hong Kong Open Super Series," concluded Srikanth.
IANS