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Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal has already created history as she became the first Indian to have reached the semi-finals of Olympics. By doing so, she bettered her Beijing Olympics feat and is just one win away from securing a medal.
Saina Nehwal was always considered to be one of the biggest medal prospects for India and the young girl has proved that all the hype that surrounded her is not for nothing. Saina would be aware of the fact that the other big guns from India have fallen pretty early in their campaign and that would have added pressure on her.
The likes of Abhinav Bindra, Ronjan Sodhi and Deepika Kumari among others are out of the Games and these were the players who were to bring glory for the nation. But unfortunately they didn’t even qualify for the final rounds. Amidst all, this young girl from Hyderabad is playing fearless badminton. Her body-language looks awesome, her approach is incredible and her share presence on the court can give goose bumps to the millions of people who are watching her.
Super Saina, as she is most famously called, defeated world no 7 Tine Baun 21-15, 22-20 to reach the semis. Saina took the first game pretty comfortable, but the second game showed what she is made of. The Danish star had three game points with the score reading 20-17 in her favor, but Saina rather than focusing on the decisive game, came back strongly to win the second game by claiming five back-to-back points. Saina will now face world no 1 Wing Yihan of China in the semis and though the task looks difficult, nothing looks impossible for the queen of Indian badminton.
Saina, who was struggling with fitness and form throughout the last year, peaked at the right time. Her title triumphs at Thailand Open and Indonesian Open Super Series proved that the world number five player has not lost her ‘midas touch’.
Saina after her Indonesian Open Super Series win said, “Winning two titles and beating so many top players is exciting. I am glad to end on a winning note and I know these wins will encourage several youngsters who are taking up badminton. I had close matches against all of them. But right now Li Xuerui is in the best of form. She had won four tournaments continuously and was unbeaten for 30 matches. Beating her was a very big thing for me.”
Saina has always been a tough competitor and has achieved the feats unknown to any other women shuttler in India. She is the first Indian women badminton player to have reached the quarterfinals in the Olympics; she is also the first Indian to win World Junior Badminton Championship. She also became the first Indian player to win Super Series tournament when she won the Indonesian Open few years ago. She didn’t stop at that as she won the Singapore Open in 2010, and was once rated number three in the world.
This young lady has made India proud on numerous occasions and this is the greatest event of them all. Saina is ever so close to the medal and one win can take her where every Indian wants her to be. Saina is looking in tremendous form and come her semi-final match and the entire nation will be praying for her and will be hoping that Saina can do what only one other female athlete (Karnam Malleswari) has done for India, win an Olympic medal.
By Gaurav Jha
Indian Sports News Network
