Not very long ago, Saina Nehwal was an aspiring shuttler trying to break into the big time. Now she is a revered figure in India and across the world. She first rose to prominence in 2006, when she won the Philippines Open after entering the tournament as an unknown. She proved herself again with a superb win at the Asian Satellite Badminton Tournament (India chapter). It was her second satellite title in as many years, and she never looked back.
She went on to win many tournaments, and a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Saina, who was ranked 84th in the world at the time of the 2006 Philippines Open, is now third in the world rankings. She has been in the top five for some time and has held her place there consistently.
Saina took two months off from the game to enjoy her Olympic success, but as soon as she returned it was business as usual. She won the Denmark Open, her sixth Premier title and second of the year, and was runner-up at the French Open. She has now won four titles this year (the Swiss Open, Thailand Open, Indonesia Open and Denmark Open) in addition to her Olympic bronze.
Her achievements and growing stature have made her the highest-paid non-cricketing sportsperson in the country.
Saina has a great appetite for success and always aims higher. She was born in Haryana but grew up in Hyderabad, and it was there that she was scouted and began training at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre.
Saina made history at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where she became the first Indian woman to reach the quarter-finals. She went into that tournament as one of the underdogs, but four years later in London she was billed as a medal contender. She justified the tag, and even if she was a little lucky in the bronze medal match, where her opponent conceded because of injury, the 22-year-old fully deserved the medal.
Her impressive run has earned her fans as well as the respect of sportspersons from other disciplines. She has surpassed the achievements of every other sportswoman in the country, yet she remains down to earth and her focus is entirely on the game.
Here are some of the qualities that have made Saina the ‘Badminton Queen’ of India.
Focus
Her ability to stay focused is what has made her so successful. Saina was away from the game for two-odd months after the London Olympics, but as soon as she stepped on to the court she meant business. She started firing on all cylinders and went on to win the Denmark Open.
Big-match attitude
Saina can raise her game at big events. She announced her arrival on the international stage at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, where she won a bronze medal. But the world really saw her potential when she reached the quarter-finals of her first Olympics in Beijing. After that nothing could stop her, and she went on to win many international titles, including the 2008 Chinese Taipei Open Grand Prix Gold, the 2008 BWF World Junior Championships, the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the 2011 Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold and the 2012 Denmark Open, as well as her medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
Consistency
Saina has been very consistent since her rise began. She has been in the top five for some time, and the way she has stayed there is praiseworthy. She is the only non-Chinese player in the top five, and it is often Saina against China. Even at the Olympics, it was three Chinese players and Saina in the semi-finals. She has lost to them on occasion, but she is the only player who has been able to crack the Chinese code and pose a real threat to them.
Fierce competitor
Anyone who knows her knows her approach to the game. She is very headstrong and often puts pressure on herself to succeed. At times that works against her, but her ability to handle the pressure is what makes her so successful.
In a nation dominated by cricket, Saina has carved out a niche for herself. She has risen as high as number two in the world rankings and is a threat to every shuttler she faces. She reached world number two in July 2010, ahead of the Chinese players who have dominated the game for so long, and stayed in the top five until injury took its toll and she dropped to number six in June 2011. She regained a place in the top five soon after, and the way she is playing, it will be no surprise if she reaches the top.
Profile
- Current ranking: 3
- Highest ranking: 2
- Award: Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2010)
Major wins
- 2006 Philippines Open
- 2009 Indonesia Super Series
- 2010 Singapore Super Series
- 2010 Indonesia Super Series
- 2010 Hong Kong Super Series
- Chinese Taipei Open
- 2010 India Open Grand Prix Gold
- 2011 Swiss Open
- 2012 Swiss Open
- 2012 Indonesia Super Series Premier
- 2012 London Olympics bronze
- 2012 Denmark Super Series Premier
By Samikshan Dutta Choudhury
Indian Sports News
