Seychelles shuttler a close friend of Saina Nehwal

NEW DELHI - Juliette Ah-Wan, a badminton player from the tiny island of Seychelles and India’s star player Saina Nehwal share a close bond on the professional circuit.

Juliette and Saina are friends for the last six years and try to keep in touch despite their demanding schedules.

The 29-year-old is here for the Commonwealth Games representing the picturesque islands. The archipelago, comprising a chain of 115 islands, is located to the east of mainland Africa in the Indian Ocean, having an estimated population of 84,000.

Juliette fondly remembers the evenings she spent with Saina during the China Open in 2007. The two used to watch movies together, Bollywood flicks being their favourites.

“I have been seeing Saina from her early teens. We all know she is a global star now, she is a pleasant person and nice to talk to,” Juliette told IANS.

“I don’t play singles that often now, but till a couple of years ago Saina and I shared many great moments on the circuit. I distinctly remember the 2007 China Open when we used to watch movies together, she is a big movie buff. We keep in touch mostly through e-mail,” she said.

Juliette works for the sports ministry of Seychelles. She has been playing for 15 years and her best ever singles ranking was 62nd. Her best Commonwealth Games performance came in the 2006 Melbourne edition where she reached the quarter-finals of the mixed doubles event.

This time around, she has a slim chance of winning a medal, with the majority of the medals likely to be shared among hosts India, Singapore and Malaysia.

“I am not expecting a medal, but I am going to give my best. This is my second appearance at the Games and I will try to make the most of it. The focus will be more on the doubles event,” she said.

Juliette arrived in the Games Village Tuesday as part of the 49-member contingent from the island nation. She likes the facilities on offer but the dusty surroundings are giving her a hard time in adjusting to the place.

“The accommodation is okay. The food is good but there is a lot of dust everywhere. I am allergic to dust and that is why I am very particular about the place where I stay in. The authorities need to do something about cleaning the floors regularly. It is all over here and it is very uncomfortable for me,” she complained.

Juliette was also worried abut the erratic supply of electricity in her residential tower.

“Last night, the lights went off for two hours. You know it is always a problem, especially in the heat and humidity of Delhi.”