It will be great to be busy on a SundayPullela Gopichand allows a mild chuckle to chase that sentence before it arrives at a full stop. He isnt just a man of a few words but even those that leave his mouth are carefully chosen. Gopi, as he is universally called, is already acclaimed as one of Indias most celebrated sports coaches. On Saturday, two of his wards added luster to his aura by producing compelling performances in Hong Kong.Watching from home in Hyderabad as he has chosen not to travel for this tournament, all Gopi would say was excited and pleased to see what unfolded.P V Sindhu bossed her semifinal against local girl Cheung Ngan Yi in straight games to enter her second straight Superseries final. But then, after her exploits in Rio, Sindhu producing strong performances is no longer a surprise. It was the 22-year old that preceded her on court- Sameer Verma - another product of the now famed Gopichand stable in Hyderabad, who captivated the arena and those watching on TV with a jaw dropping effort.With a world ranking of 43, Verma quelled a man ranked 40 places above him in Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark. He walked on to court as a virtual unknown, but after 46 minutes, when he walked off it, Verma had become the latest addition to Indias emerging sporting stars.The last few weeks I have been working with Sameer and it feels so good to see him perform, Gopichand told ESPN. It is always good to see your players perform when it really matters, on the big stage in a semifinal and give themselves a chance to play the final.Jan has been playing well but having said that he looked a bit vulnerable today. He made a few mistakes, he looked a little nervous in the end game which is what Sameer capitalised on. Also, lots of credit to Sameer for retrieving the way he did and he was able to pull out those pressure points which was very important.Sameer has the strokes and capabilities. He is a tricky player with some quick short action strokes that makes him very effective. I think some of the strokes that he played in the end were risky in the sense he really hit the lines. It was very good for us to watch but on another day had they gone out he would have said I shouldnt have played that. It was very brave of him to play the strokes that he played in end, thats the way he is. He is somebody who I believe with maturity will get stronger.Gopi first came across Verma as a 15-year old in 2009. He remembers his elder brother Sourabh, a badminton pro himself who is ranked 45 at the moment asking Gopi, Bhaiya, I have my brother with me and he wants to join, can I bring him along? Gopi agreed and the younger Verma didnt take long to catch his eye. He had an unorthodox game and a knack of smartly seeing angles that Gopi believes can be effective at the top level of the sport.There were challenges too as young Sameer would often get homesick and want to go to his family in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh. However, Gopi persisted and that inherent ability he spotted in the shy teenager has now burst on to the world stage. In Sundays final he will be confronted by local player NG Ka Long Angus, ranked 14 in the world. Verma has won both the previous encounters between them but those came at the junior level in 2011 & 2012. Gopi expects Angus to provide much stiffer opposition on Sunday.The match wont be as fast paced as it was in the semifinal, he predicts. It will be tricky because Angus has been performing well. He has the local pressure but can also count on the support. Sameer also has no expectations but it is also a big match for him, so we will have to see who holds their nerve.While Vermas breakthrough over the course of the week has been a matter of immense pride, the rapid development in P V Sindhus craft has given Gopi great satisfaction too. Sindhu has won three of her four matches in Hong Kong this week in straight games and has a visible swagger on court as she oozes with confidence. Not only is she moving fluidly, making the most of her intimidating wingspan, Sindhus expanding her arsenal of shots.For instance, on match point in her semifinal Sindhu jumped and executed the reverse drop, a shot Gopi says they have practiced but never used before in a match situation. Another stroke that his caught his eye in the course of the match against Yi was a retrieving move from the backhand lane that Sindhu pulled crosscourt. To Gopis ever observant eyes these are sure signs of Sindhus evolution as a player as she adds muscle and variety to her game.Although she trails 3-4 in the head to head against her opponent in Sundays final - Taiwans Tai Tzu Ying - the last time the two met, Sindhu dismantled Ying in straight games at the Rio Olympics. Gopi expects another fierce clash, though he anoints Sindhu as the favourite on current form.It is going to be interesting because back then Sindhu was the underdog but here in a way the roles are reversed, he says. Tai is a very tricky player and she has beaten Carolina Marin (World Number One and Olympic champion) to reach the final. The match at the Olympics will be at the back of the minds of both players. Tai will want revenge and Sindhu will want to stamp her authority. NMD R1 Primeknit Australia . Q: Team Canada announces their Olympic roster three weeks from today. Who is general manager Steve Yzerman watching? 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BEIJING -- Seeking to dismiss lingering doubts, a top Chinese sports official says the country has committed to a zero-tolerance stance on doping ahead of the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.Vice Director of the General Administration of Sports Gao Zhidian told the official Xinhua News Agency on Thursday that Olympics-bound athletes and coaches are required to sign pledges not to cheat, saying violators would be severely punished.Gao said athletes, coaches and team doctors must also pass a written exam on banned substances with only those scoring 80 percent or more permitted to go to Rio.China has been firmly against doping and has a zero-tolerance approach to this particular problem, said Gao, who is also deputy chef de mission of Chinas 711- member Olympic delegation. We have made it very clear that we want to ensure fair play and the well-being of athletes.China has sought to shake off a reputation for doping, particularly in ddistance running and swimming that gave rise to multiple scandals in the 1990s.ddddddddddddThat resolve was questioned when it emerged that officials waited six months before revealing that champion swimmer Sun Yang served a three-month suspension after testing positive in May 2014.Sun, the gold medalist in the 400- and 1,500-meter freestyle at the 2012 London Olympics, was named male swimmer of the meet at the world championships in Kazan, Russia, last August.China is sending 416 athletes to Rio, including 35 former Olympic champions. China topped the table at the 2008 Games and won the second largest number of medals in London, including 38 golds.Based on recent performances by Chinese athletes, some studies predict the country could return to the top of the table at Rio with as many as 39 golds. ' ' '
