HOLDING A SHOT

Written by S D THAPLIYAL
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Gutsy, hardworking and extremely focused. World Number One woman badminton player Saina Nehwal is a source of inspiration for India’s youth

Saina Nehwal says badminton is her first love. Given her dedication, diligence and sheer hard work, however, one can hazard a guess that she would have excelled in anything she put her mind to. The world number one women’s badminton champion was equally good in other sports discipline, too, but she chose to pursue the former. “Never be a jack of all trades and master of none. Choose one thing that you are best at and work on it. Results will follow,” says Nehwal.

And master she indeed is. In late-March this year, she became the world’s number one woman player in the sport. She lost the title briefly after her semifinal finish in the Malaysia Open Super Series, but reclaimed her position when she won the Indian Open Grand Prix Gold last month. Nehwal is the first Indian woman to have achieved this milestone and is the second Indian after Prakash Padukone to reach the top rank in world badminton.

She is also the first Indian badminton player to get a medal at the Olympics; she won a bronze at the London Olympics in 2012. The first Indian to win the World Junior Badminton Championships, Nehwal also clinched the Super Series tournament by winning the Indonesia Open in 2009. “I love badminton because it does not limit my horizons in the conservative boundaries of caste, creed, religion and nationality,” she says.

The face of Indian sports, Nehwal’s journey from Hisar in Haryana to London and China is a study in grit and one-minded focus to realise one’s dreams. The second daughter of Harvir Singh and Usha Rani, she showed the makings of a champion from an early age — something that her parents identified and encouraged. When Nehwal’s father worked in Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agriculture University, Hisar, she finished her first few years of schooling at the Campus School there, and the family later shifted to Hyderabad. Her health conscious parents found playing badminton an excellent way to work-out.

Centre position

However, Nehwal didn’t play badminton when in Hisar. When the family shifted to Hyderabad in 1998, she was eight-and-a-half-year old. There she attended judo classes and later joined a summer training camp in badminton for kids at Lal Bahadur Stadium, Hyderabad under the banner of Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh. “In 1999, my coach Nani Parsad Rao told the media how I, a nine-yearold girl, will be a top badminton player of India. Today, with his blessings and by the grace of god I have become world’s number one,” says Nehwal with emotion.

Most of her early memories revolve around badminton. Since she did not attend school or college regularly, there’s not too much she can talk about when it comes to classes and playing truant from school. Her parents, however, made sure she finished her schooling from Osmania University, Hyderabad. “I was later invited as the chief guest for a sport function there. One of my schools has also honoured me by naming a block in my name — it is a three-storied building for intermediate students,” says Nehwal, with childlike excitement.

Drive serve

When Nehwal’s teenage counterparts were partying, crushing on boys, studying for unit tests, she was sweating it out on the court, day after day, week after week, dashing from one tournament to the next. “But I have no regrets,” she emphasises, “I found my best friend in badminton. The recognition I received because of the sport has only made the bond stronger.” Persuaded by her parents to give it a shot when she was just eight years old, Nehwal doesn’t label badminton as a profession.

“I take it as my duty and also enjoy it thoroughly,” she says, adding, “I have also been helped by the sacrifices that my family has made, the hard work of the coaches who sharpened my skills, the support of the financiers, love of fellow countrymen and, of course, blessings of the almighty.”

Follow-through

Encouragement and assistance aside, you can’t underestimate Nehwal’s hard work. In her words, “Only constant practice and fitness can transform an ordinary player into a world-class beater.” She works on her game practising in two to three sessions, each lasting two to three hours. According to the training schedule planned by Nehwal’s coaches, she divides her time between staying indoors playing badminton, working out in the gymnasium and doing shadow exercises. “If it’s outdoor training, I run, play football and cricket, and swim,” she says.

Apart from gruelling practice sessions and living a strict disciplined life, Nehwal had other practical problems to take care of. Initially, there was a dearth of finances and lack of good sports equipment, and excellent facilities to play were limited. Thankfully, help came in the form of OGQ Mumbai, and some other corporate houses, along with SAI and BAI, who encouraged her to concentrate on her game while they took care of the finances.

Match point

Ever since she started as a professional badminton player, she has been consistent. Nehwal wants to maintain that momentum and is especially happy she was able to beat top-class Chinese players who have ruled the roost for years. “Ranking helps in tournaments, although sometimes the number one gets beaten in the quarter-finals and fails to play with other higher ranking players, she says. But it definitely helps in showcasing your strength in the badminton world. “Being number one or two is decided by data analysts. No one can deny the importance of ranking — it matters,” she feels.

Straight games

Despite winning accolades and awards, however, Nehwal wears a good head on her shoulders and is extremely level-headed. “It is my duty to remain focused as a player. If I don’t, my game will go and I will be nowhere,” she emphasises. Not to say she doesn’t speak out; Saina belongs to the league of players who speak their mind and are not wary of airing their feelings. She expressed her displeasure at being ignored for the Padma awards despite fulfilling the criteria. At present, however, she maintains her distance from the controversy, saying, “No controversy, it is the government’s job to look into it and I have nothing to say.”

Toss serve

It there any one award that is particularly special to her, I ask. “One of my finest memories is winning the gold medal in individual category at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. The London Olympics bronze and runners-up at the All England 2015 are memorable events of my career,” she says. We also come to another issue in her professional career, which amuses her now, but must have irked her in the beginning — coming out of the shadow of being called as “Sania” Nehwal.

In the beginning of her career, people would often confuse her name with that of Sania Mirza, the tennis player who also hails from Hyderabad. However, Saina has carved a niche for herself and now only the very unaware make that mistake. But Nehwal is candid enough to say it might have worked in her favour in the beginning. “There’s no doubt hard work pays. If you’re starting your career and you have a name that is similar to a celebrity, it gives you an added advantage. She was an established player when I started and I might actually have been helped by her name in the past. But now that I too am doing good work, people know me as Saina Nehwal and it feels great,” she says with a smile.

As Nehwal grows from strength to strength, Nehwal nurses some regrets, too. “Beijing 2008 — my quarterfinal loss to Maria Kristin Yulianti where I was leading 11-3 in the third game was one of the most unforgettable and painful moments in my life,” she says in a low voice.

At such times when she feels low, she derives a lot of inspiration from the world of sports and is an ardent fan of Sachin Tendulkar. “Sachin sir is my ideal, but my mother and father as motivators and path crusaders for me,” she says.

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