Badminton Queen of India Saina Nehwal (23 page)

But what are the future plans for Saina Nehwal?

Saina has nothing in mind at present except to win. She wants to give her best to everything. Her main aim is to win. Each player is interested in winning. However, it all boils down to mental strength. Saina has won big matches with almost all top players.

Saina believes that rankings usually don’t mean a lot to top players. The only benefit a player gets via winning a ranking is a positive affirmation. After winning the world number three title and then slipping down to number four didn’t dampen this badminton star’s spirits. She soon managed to gain her third rank which was a huge relief for her fans and admirers. But maintaining a specific rank and going higher is tougher but Saina focuses on performing well and climbing higher in the rankings now. Also, each time a rank goes higher and a medal is added to the glory of a badminton player, the expectation becomes higher. The players are under constant pressure. But then, it is definitely a part of the stardom and victory. Training harder and keep winning is definitely a part of Siana’s future plans.

Playing under pressure is a part of every sports star’s life. More successful a player is, greater the expectations and pressure. But Saina cannot take pressure. She believes that playing under pressure is not her style. She likes to think that she plays well and win tournaments. Pressure is definitely there but she does not allow it overpower her life. She has own way to deal with pressure and does not let it affect her game or mindset.

One of her future plans is definitely to keep winning over the Chinese girls. Saina truly believes that she is one of the girls trying to beat the Chinese.

The badminton star agrees that it is a difficult game for everyone except China. Hence, it is her aim to try the best she can and try to beat them all.

Winning is the biggest motivating factor which keeps me going, says 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist and ace shuttler Saina Nehwal.

The Autobiography – Was it a Future Plan?

Saina recently get released her autobiography. This wasn’t a part of her future plan. It just happened. According to Saina, it is something that made her feel special. Since, most people think of penning an autobiography at the prime age of their life, she got this privilege at the tender age of 22.

According to her, this is something no one expects at least at her age. She feels that her attempt would inspire many youngsters take up sports and dream big like her.

Siana’s life is completely based on her love and passion for badminton. This is definitely the reason she constantly dreamt of winning titles. With each title, Saina sets new goals and kept working hard.

Saina’s Future Game Plan

Since, Saina is a hardcore badminton player, her complete concentration is on the future games and tournaments. She is presently focussing on the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil. This will definitely depend on how things shape up over the next three years. Her current focus is to stay injury-free and build adequate strength and achieve her new goal – win an Olympic gold. It is the most cherished dream of champion shuttler. She wishes to fulfil it at all costs.

Setting up an Academy

Saina is also planning to set up an Academy in Bengaluru. Since Gopi Academy which she feels is the best in the world is already in Hyderabad, the city she lives in, Bengaluru was the second choice.

Saina attributed 30 percent of her success to talent and the rest for her hard work and discipline which meant sacrificing what many normal girls of her age will enjoy otherwise. This is also the reason she strongly feels many girls can take up sports and turn into real champions like herself and Sania Mirza. She feels that she and Mirza had made country proud and helped people realize the significance of women power and their contribution to the glory of country.

The world champion shuttler confirmed recently that the plans to establish an academy is under discussion with real estate firm Commune India and sports company Target Games Facilities. She is eagerly looking forward to their support and she hope to do something good for badminton in Bengaluru. The ace shuttler feels that people in Bengaluru are interested in the game.

The city, according to Saina is a very good place for badminton. Just as the Prakash Padukone Academy is guiding aspirants into action, she also hopes to support game in a big way in Bengaluru and hope youngsters get more motivated and do well. Saina feels if she can do it, each girl of the can do it too, if she really aspires to.

According to Saina, the two most significant milestones in her career were winning the Olympic bronze medal and the Commonwealth Games gold in Delhi. The excitement of standing on the medal podium is unsurpassable. That is also the reason why she keeps enjoying playing all day. Whether she is indoors or outdoors, her main aim is to practise the game thoroughly and not leave any stone unturned in winning matches.

Yudhvir Award for Saina Nehwal

Ace shuttler Saina Nehwal was recently conferred with the 22nd Yudhvir Memorial Foundation Award for her outstanding performance in the field of sports. The award was instituted in the memory of freedom fighter, journalist and founder of the daily Hindi Milap, Yudhvir in the year 1991. It was constituted to commemorate the lifetime work of late Yudhvir. The award was presented to Saina by Andhra Pradesh Lokayukta Justice B. Subhashan Reddy, at a function.

The annual award consists of a citation and a cash prize of 50,000 INR. Saina mentioned that it was a great honour for her to receive the award. She also revealed that the award will give her strength and encouragement to excel in her game in future. This award will help her put in more hard work and efforts to bring laurels to the country.

Her aim is to play more, win more and get more medals for her country. She also believes that the love of her fans and their prayers are helping her to win medals. Saina knows that she cannot let her fans down.

Saina plans to do well in near future and continue to make her fans proud.

Marriage Plans

The ace shuttle is 23 now. Her fans and family are waiting for the good news. Apart from the Olympic Gold and tournaments, the entire nation wants to know if it is time for their badminton icon to tie the knot.

Saina Nehwal is always accompanied by her mother, Usha Nehwal, be it for her matches, tours or even promotional events. Now, that the girl has carved a niche for herself, there is something more the mother is looking forward to.

Mrs. Usha Nehwal has two things in her mind; her daughter’s Olympic win and her marriage. The girl is playing really well and an Olympic gold medal seems to be very close. The doting mother also wants her daughter to get married. She feels that it is the right time for the talented girl to get settled in her life.

But Saina is not thrilled by her mother’s new hopes. In fact, she is not ready for marriage at the moment. The moment her family talks about marriage, she would revolt.

Now that marriage is on the mind of Saina’s entire family, who knows the fans will soon see her in a new avatar!

Things you might not know about
Saina Nehwal

• A pure vegetarian, Saina Nehwal was asked to eat fish and crab by coach P.Gopichand after they failed to find vegetarian food in China.
  
• Saina’s mother took Saina to her badminton matches when she was less than a year old. Saina Nehwal used to laugh aloud alarmingly when she saw the badminton matches played by her mother.
  
• When she was a teenager, Saina Nehwal’s training was costing her family Rs. 12,000 per month. She now charges upto a crore for commercial endorsements.
  
• Saina Nehwal was offered a job by Bharat Petroleum when she was just 14 years old. Saina Nehwal’s parents were state Badminton champions in Haryana.
  
• Saina Nehwal has been nicknamed ‘Steffi Saina’.
  
• Saina Nehwal is extremely fond of chocolates.
  
• In her teens, Saina Nehwal used to travel 25 km for training, dozing off to sleep while riding pillion on her father’s scooter.
  
• Saina Nehwal has a brown belt in Karate.
  
• Saina Nehwal’s father Dr. Harvir Singh is a scientist at the Directorate of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad.
  
• Saina’s mother thinks that her smile is very cuite exactly like the Sahid Kapooor’s.
  
• She is one of highest paid non cricketing sportsperson.
  
• Saina Nehwal cried when she lost the quarter-final match in Beijing Olympics. Gopichand couldn’t make her feel better by lightening her mood. So, just to shock her out of it, Gopichand told her we will start practice at 6 a.m. tomorrow. She shocked Gopichand instead by saying that “Lets start it at 7 a.m. sir.”
  
• Saina Nehwal is the only feared player by the Chinese women badminton players who rule the roost in badminton.
  
• Saina Nehwal trains for almost 10 hours everyday and doesn’t have any social life.
  
• Saina Nehwal won the under-10 state level badminton championship. Prize money – a meagre Rs. 300.
  
• Saina Nehwal is an ardent fan of Sachin Tendulkar and Roger Federer and love their determination and dedication.
  
• Saina Nehwal is often compared to Sania Mirza, the tennis sensation. But Saina Nehwal doesn’t like the comparison at all; she believes Sania Mirza is a better doubles player while she is a singles player. Moreover, Saina Nehwal has won the World Super Series thrice which is similar to the Tennis Grand Slams while Sania Mirza has never won any single’s grand slam.
  
• Saina Nehwal joined the Gopichand Badminton Academy at the age of 13. Pullela Gopichand found talent in her and has been coaching her and mentoring her since then. Saina gives all the credit to her success to Pullela Gopichand.
  
• Saina Nehwal’s current coach is Atik Jauhari from Indonesia.
  
• Saina Nehwal is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 60 kg.
  
• Saina’s mother and father were former Badminton champions in Haryana.
  
• Saina had missed her intermediate exams twice. Once, while she was participating in Melbourne Olympics and then when she was in Philippines.
  
• She holds the Under-19 women’s single title. She has won twice the Asian Satellite Badminton Tournament (India Chapter). Nobody did it in the past in India in the women’s category.
  
• Saina was signed on by the ‘Champions Trust’ of Lakshmi Mittal, the London-based steel baron who wanted to help her become an international champion.
  
• Saina won the Indian National Championships in January, 2007, at Patna.
  
• Saina has defeated world number five and fourth seed Chen Wang of Hong Kong in a three set thriller 21-19, 11-21 and 21-11. Saina overcame her higher seed opponent Chen Wan. Saina has entered the quarters of the women’s singles event at the Beijing Olympics.
  
• Saina Nehwal has been voted as winner of the Indian of the Year in the sports category.
  
• The Beijing Olympics saw her arrive with a bang and the top players started to get wary of her presence in their half of the draw.
  
• The 19-year-old won the top spot for being the first Indian woman to win the Badminton Super Series.
  
• Saina’s impeccable potential was finally justified on June 22, 2009, when she beat World No. 3 Lin Wang to win the Indonesian Super Series, putting her at par with two other legends of Indian badminton –Prakash Padukone and Pullela Gopichand.
  
• A ‘never say die’ attitude has helped this ace player to stay ahead of her competition. Even chicken pox failed to stop Saina from performing.
  
• Saina Nehwal’s favourite snack is aloo parantha prepared by her mother.
  
• The ace shuttler can’t resist full-milk tea made by her mother.
  
• Her favourite movie is Chak de India, favourite movie star is Shah Rukh Khan.
  
• Roger Federer and P. Gopichand are her favourite sportsperson.
  
• Saina’s favourite holiday destination is Singapore.
  
• She likes tennis other than badminton.
  
• Saina loves to shop, eat ice-cream (post wins only) and play games on her iPad.
  
• Saina has been referred to as the future of Indian sports.
  
• Saina even beat her male opponents during practices.
  
• During Phillipines Open and Melbourne Commonwealth Games, her phones kept ringing which resulted in the phone Bill of 40,000 INR!