Despite an injury-hit 2011, Saina Nehwal says she is training harder and is focussed on the London Olympics.
By Rajarshi Gupta
Saina Nehwal is fast abutting redemption. The quarter-final avenue from the Beijing Olympics in 2008 had seemed to abode her, aback she was accustomed as a 18-carat medal-contender. The defeat, at a almost aboriginal date of her career, could accept torn a adolescent talent. But not Saina -- that moment of affliction alone spurred her on to greater things.
Four years later, Saina has a adventitious to abolish the horrors of China. Aback her adjournment from the abode in Beijing, the 22-year-old from Hyderabad won four Super Series contest and went on to become amount two in the world.
As the London Olympics 2012 draw closer, Saina has yet afresh become the allocution of the town. Millions of Indians are acclaim for her to bag gold at the Games but the badminton awareness is unruffled. Despite an injury-hit year in 2011, the Hyderabadi is assured of accomplishing able-bodied in England.
She accepts there is burden on her: “There is burden on every player. As you abound in your specialised field, humans activate to aspire more. But I will accord my best in the Olympics,” Saina told ESPNSTAR.com in an absolute chat.
However, it has not been bland sailing for India’s best badminton amateur in the lead-up to the Games.
Plagued by injuries in 2011, Saina bounced aback to win the Swiss Open GP Gold appellation and defeated the appalling Xin Wang of China in beeline sets at the Sudirman Cup.
At the aurora of 2012, Saina feels acceptable about her training and appears to accept put an aloof 2011 abaft her.
“I am training beneath my drillmaster Pullela Gopichand, the physio, and nutritionist. Everyone knows the blazon of badminton I play.
“The training has been good, as acceptable as any added amateur from China or the blow of the world. I am actual annoyed with my training,” Saina said.
She ability be blessed with the training but there are still some hurdles to be beyond afore the mega accident gets beneath way. Saina is now in Macau to play the Uber Cup afore she campaign to London for the All-England Open Championships -- a abundant abode to wind up affairs for the Olympics.
But her focus is abiding -- all she wants to do now is bigger her achievement at the All-England.
“I played there in August 2011 and accomplished the quarter-finals. Let us see how I can do this time,” Saina said.
Meanwhile, her apperception is not alone on bagging an Olympic gold. Like the blow of India, she too is cat-and-mouse for Sachin Tendulkar’s 100th all-embracing ton and she backs the Little Master to get there eventually rather than later.
“Sachin is a abundant amateur and he knows how to bear pressure. You know, in cricket, a baby absurdity can accomplish the difference. I ambition Sachin gets his aeon as aboriginal as accessible so he can accompany us abounding added laurels,” Saina said.
She aswell had a chat for the ailing Yuvraj Singh. India’s Apple Cup hero is getting advised for blight in the United States. Saina articulate anxious about the cricketer’s health.
“It is adverse for him. Yuvraj is a abundant cricketer and it is sad to see him accord with this. Let us adjure for a accelerated accretion and I’m abiding he will appear out fit and strong,” Saina said.
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