Friendship will have to be suspended when Rajiv Ouseph takes on Kieran Merrilees in the badminton quarter-finals at the Commonwealth Games tomorrow.
Hounslow racquet star Ouseph and his Scottish opponent are training partners and good mates away from the court.
However, with a prize of a place in the last four at stake for the winner, Delhi silver medallist Ouseph knows there is no room for sentiment.
"It's always difficult to play against someone who you train with every day and who you're friends with,” he said.
“We'll have to put our friendship to one side while the match is on."
Ouseph advanced to the last eight with a 21-15, 21-15 win over rising star Chao Huang of Singapore today.
The 27-year-old west Londoner had spoken of his tiredness after winning in the previous round, but there was no signs of fatigue as he proved too quick around the court for a man more than five years his junior.
Speaking afterwards, Ouseph appeared to have got his mojo back.
He added: "It was a quite a comfortable win and I'm looking forward to the quarter-finals now."
Keep up to date with how our competitors are doing in Glasgow with regular updates on GetWestLondon.
