Just 18 and currently the world's youngest top 10 player, India's Saina Nehwal quite understandably doesn't take it too kindly if she's compared to co-Hyderabadi Sania Mirza. Nothing personal, just that she has achieved an equal amount, if not more, than the tennis star.
Ever since her Philippines Open victory in 2006 that brought her into the limelight, Nehwal has been growing from strength to strength. She has won four tournaments this year including the Chinese Taipei Open and the World Junior Championship and speaking to XPRESS, the reigning national and Commonwealth champion said that she even had to reset her goals in the middle of the year to bring them in line with her success.
"At the start of the year, my target was to make the top 25, but, by June, I realised that I would be placed much higher than that. I never expected it to happen so soon but, after I made the semi-final of the Singapore Open, I changed my goal. That's when I started dreaming about getting into the top 10," she said.
With just nine women above her, Nehwal's next goal is to crack the top five by the end of next year and then go for No 1. "This is where it gets really tough. The players above me have a wealth of experience, so I will have to bide my time," she said.
She added that she needs to work on several aspects of her game in order to make the big jump. "I need to improve my defence, my backhand, as well as speed and endurance, if I need to beat the Chinese girls and the top players consistently," she said.
Fitness first
Nehwal's next big tournaments are in January when she plays the Malaysian and Korean Opens and besides helping her prepare for those events, her coach and former All-England champion P. Gopichand is also on the lookout for a travelling physio.
"While I am very happy about her progress, now that she is at the business end of things, she needs a full-time physio to look after her fitness during tournaments. I am in talks with a few and I hope to finalise one by next March," he said.
Moved by Mumbai
Nehwal was playing the Hong Kong Open when terrorists struck in Mumbai and she told XPRESS she couldn't believe what was happening.
"It was shocking to see how they were hurting us. Wasn't there anything we could do? At least this time our government shouldn't forget and go on as if nothing has happened. It's not a good feeling to be living in fear all the time," she said.
On her part Nehwal has donated Rs100,000 (Dh7,500) to the victims of the attacks in Mumbai.
Most promising
The World Badminton Federation has voted Nehwal the ‘most promising player of the year' in its council meeting in Seoul. She was elected out of three players proposed by the world body ahead of one Korean and one from Pan America.
