Badminton Queen of India Saina Nehwal (16 page)

Sports in India have come a long way. Be it cricket, badminton or tennis, the players can’t just stay away from glamour. Of late, a lot of cricket players in India were seen endorsing brands, giving guest appearance in Bollywood movies, and walking on the ramp sporting designer labels.

The trend was carried forward by tennis player Sania Mirza who created raves with her typical ‘nose ring’ appearance. College girls and teenagers aped this look and more than her performance, the ‘nose ring’ became the talk of nation.

The gorgeous Saina Nehwal couldn’t resist the glamour world for long. Although, dedicated to badminton, the glamour world just pulled her in.

“Performance counts but glamour is as important. People watch a sport also because they like a particular player. Especially in India, if a sportsperson looks good, he or she easily gets a lot of ads and media coverage,” said the ace shuttler in an interview.

Saina also mentioned that many sports stars don’t get recognized because they don’t look good. According to her, this is not good on the part of players who donate their sweat and blood to add to the country’s reputation.

“That is sad and should change. I don’t take care of myself, but I thank God that I’m blessed with good looks,” she stated.

Saina Nehwal at Hyderabad
Fashion Week

Pretty Saina Nehwal walked in style for renowned fashion designers on ramp. Her resplendent face reflected pure happiness and excitement as she graced the event with her looks.

Saina walked on ramp for the first time in the year 2010 for Hyderabad Fashion Week. She showcased a creation by designer Pallavi Jaipur. This event was her official entry into the glamour world.

Saina adorned a bridal lehenga and walked on the ramp. This was her first official entry to the glamour world. Many multinational companies have realized the brand value of Saina. It was equal to a cricket player if not more. Saina’s mantra was same on the ramp as in the badminton court. She sent a message to her fans through the advertisement world, “AN OLYMPICS MEDAL FOR COUNTRY”.

In another event, Saina Nehwal and men’s former world number 1 Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia, rubber shoulders with the masters of ramp on the eve of the Yonex Sunrise India Open Superseries.

The Glamour Quotient

Saina was super excited for the event and confessed that it was going to be a unique, experience for all players. She also said that walking the ramp may not be as easy for her and her companions as they are not professional models. According to Saina, she is a player and that’s what she excels in.

Saina Nehwal in her
Glamorous Avtar

In an interview, Saina said that it is a great feeling that badminton is booming and coming up in a good way.

Saina had a great time walking on the ramp. She was very excited about the event as she had never been really into the fashion world before.

“I have never done it. I hope it comes up well,” said Saina before the event.

Saina’s Favourite Badminton
Players

Saina Nehwal is an incredible player for sure. Her unwavering dedication and commitment to the game is proof enough. After winning a huge trail of prestigious titles and awards, the ace shuttler of India is a hot favourite across the globe.

The world admires Saina and keeps and stays attuned about her progress, new additions into her glory and various other activities she indulges in. But whom does this world badminton champion adore?

Here is a list of Saina’s favourite badminton players across the globe:

Wang Shixian

Saina is a huge fan of this female badminton player from China and former World No. 1 women’s singles player. According to Saina, she is determined to win each game she is in. She feels that it is extremely difficult to acquire the mental toughness Wang Shixian posseses.

Wang Yihan

Wang Yihan is a professional female badminton player from China and the reigning women’s singles world champion. Saina simply enjoys playing against her because she opens opportunities for challenging games for her.

Prakash Padukone

Prakash Padukone is a former badminton player from Karnataka, India. He won the All England Championship and became the first Indian to win it. Prakash was awarded the Padma Shri in 1982. He, along with Geet Sethi, the famous billiards player co-founded Olympic Gold Quest. It is a Foundation for the Promotion of Sports in India. Saina feels that this great player had brought laurels to the nation by becoming India’s first number 1 badminton player. She also feels that if Olympics had been a part of badminton when he played, he’d have made the country proud by bringing in an Olympic gold. Saina had once mentioned that badminton players owe Prakash Padukone a lot especially for taking the game into international level.

Pullela Gopichand

Pullela Gopichand is an Indian Badminton player who won the All England Open Badminton Championships in 2001 after defeating Chen Hong of China in the finals by 15-12, 15-6. The ace player also became the second Indian to achieve this feat after Prakash Padukone, who won it in 1980. Being Saina’s coach for many years now, the ace shuttler is completely in awe of him. She feels that Gopichand has brought a hint of freshness to the game. She sees him as an aggressive player who played really hard to get to the top. The injuries brought hindrance to his championships. According to Saina, but for his injuries, her coach would have reigned on top level for good amount of time.