Have always put country's interest ahead of mine: Dipika Pallikal

Dipika Pallikal (2nd right) with the bronze medal in the Asian Games

New Delhi, Oct 8 (IANS) Asian Games squash double-medal winner Dipika Pallikal Wednesday said she still believes that it was unfair for the Asian Squash Federation (ASF) to club compatriots in the same half of the draw and it was only her national pride that prompted her to change her earlier decision and represent India in Incheon.

"I still stand by my earlier stance of threatening to pull out of the event as things weren't done according to rules. But I decided to put the country's interests over mine and played because it increased India's chances of winning medals at the Games," she said on the sidelines of an event promoting jewellery brand Platinum here.

Dipika won bronze in the women's singles category and was part of the silver-winning team at the recently concluded Incheon Asian Games.

According to the competition rules, two players belonging to the same country cannot be put in the same half of the draw. But Dipika was clubbed with Joshna Chinappa in the same half, and they faced each other at the quarter-final stage.

Dipika beat her long-time team-mate Joshna in the last-eight stage to confirm a medal for the country, a month after the duo clinched India's first ever squash medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games by winning the doubles gold. Dipika, World No.12, threatened to pull out of the Asian Games due to the draw but later better sense prevailed upon her.

The Chennai-based player, who is engaged to cricketer Dinesh Karthik, said the controversy never affected her once the tournament began.

"It was important for me to shut down. Once the matches began, I didn't think about it and concentrated on my performance," the 23-year-old said.

She also felt the squash team's strong showing at the Games - where they won four medals, inclusive of a gold and two silvers - will usher in a squash revolution in the country.

"Indian squash is at a golden moment. Now it is the time to promote the sport. We knew we were good enough to win medals at the event and pushed ourselves, eventually succeeding in winning medals in all categories," said Dipika, who is the first Indian woman to break into world's top-10.