A year ago, Saina Nehwal was ranked No.2 in the world and was looking forward to a 2013 that held much promise. Little could have prepared India’s top women’s singles shuttler for what lay ahead.
Over the next 12 months, Saina endured a road paved with thorns, experiencing pitfalls, dips of form and multiple drops in ranking, not to mention those eager to write her off as a spent force.
But now, the 23-year-old, ranked ninth in the world, has snapped a 15-month spell without a title — a first in her senior international career — and has, in her own words, recaptured the “same desire, commitment and hunger” for the game she had when she started her career.
“There is little you can do when you are under-performing and facing fire for it,” Saina said, referring to the criticism.
“All you can do is bide your time and that is what I did. I did my best to remain mentally strong,” she added.
Given her immense talent and her impressive achievements, it was only a matter of time before Saina got back in form.
Escape she did and how! She defeated her younger citymate P.V. Sindhu in straight games to capture the Syed Modi Memorial Indian Grand Prix Gold women’s singles title.
“It (the final) was difficult because we train together at the Gopichand Academy and know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. It was more difficult for me as Sindhu is in form, and as I was the top seed, the pressure on me increased.”
“I had been waiting for that one win that would end the drought for me, and this is it.”
In order to get back to her best, Saina’s strategy was simple. “I tried to forget everything I have ever achieved and get back to the way I was when I first started playing. I wanted once again to be the same Saina who started playing at the international level,” Saina said.
The strategy seems to have largely worked and while Saina admits the triumph in Lucknow boosts her confidence, her priorities lie elsewhere.
“Small issues kept derailing my progress last year, like a knee injury, or a toe fracture,” Saina explained.
“Because of this, my on-court movement became slower. My focus this year will solely be on my fitness. I don’t want to jump from one tournament to another. I will pace myself. I’m happy with my progress so far,” she said.
Saina will next be seen in action at the prestigious All England Badminton Champion-ships from March 4 to 9 at Birmingham.
