“I need to start winning against the Asians. I haven’t played too much against them in these past few months - but they are obviously the challengers to beat all over the world,” said the 124-ranked shuttler, ahead of his opening match in Germany, where he earned for himself a direct spot in the main draw after claiming his maiden title in neighbouring Austria. Having tasted steady success against the Europeans - both in Vienna, and previously at the Scottish Open in November - Pawar insists that he will soon have to start picking wins against the Asians, to get into serious contention.

Playing a tough prober first up, Pawar believes the best time to snare a seed is early in the tournament. “I’m coming off a tournament-win, so I’d like to believe I’m in the groove. Also, he’ll be playing his first match, so I’d back myself,” he says, cautiously adding, “but they are naturally tough games, and you never know.”

In November during his fine run at Glasgow where he made the semifinals, Pawar had accounted for the Finnish and Swedish number 1s, also snapping a higher-ranked Frenchman. “Even in Austria, though they weren’t big names, a few of these guys had beaten some of India’s top players, so I took confidence from that,” Pawar states, adding that his five-week stint under Danish great Morten Frost based out of Aarhus had helped considerably in the run-up. “Those sessions last year in Denmark under Morten Frost were short, but intense. I’d been beating Europeans consistently, and at Vienna, I started finishing the points well, and basically succeeded in plugging in, “ the Tata Padukone Badminton Academy trainee added.

The joy - despite the modest field as against his Top-50 scalps last year - was doubled in Austria because Pawar had managed to string together wins over a whole week. “It had been frustrating earlier - making it to the semis and finals, without going the distance,” he recalls the agony of exiting the Scottish Open in the penultimate round, messing his match against Japanese Kenichi Tago from being two match-points up. “Yeah, again I’d lost to an Asian,” Pawar quips. The title in Austria though lifted his confidence and with the monkey off the back, Pawar jokes he won’t exactly be quaking at the sight of higher-ranked players.

Prakash Padukone - Pawar’s mentor at Bangalore concurs: “It’s his first title and will help his confidence. Normally the tendency is to get satisfied after beating a few higher-ranked players. Also by the time they reach the final, players are mostly worn out and physically not fit enough. It’s good he went all the way.” The former all-England champion is also happy that the youngster - who experienced the growing-up pangs when graduating to the seniors - is now roughing it out alone in Europe - travelling alone. The title pocketed, Pawar was treated to a dal-chaawal celebration-dinner by some local Indians, after being lustily cheered on by the Pakistanis, though moving to Mulheim, Germany he insists he’s now as focussed as ever.