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Ready to serve
Saina Nehwal's stature is growing in sporting horizon
- By Gautam Bhattacharyya, Deputy Sports Editor
- Published: 00:00 November 2, 2010
- Image Credit: Xpress /Abdel-Krim Kallouche
- Saina Nehwal
As one drives into the city of Hyderabad in south India from the airport, you will be greeted with hoardings almost at regular intervals featuring a familiar face: Saina Nehwal. Head tilted up, shuttle in the air, the women's world No 3 badminton player is getting ready to serve.
It's an advertising campaign for one of that city's biggest media houses — who have chosen Saina as their brand ambassador over any illustrious member of their IPL franchise Deccan Chargers.
To earn one's place as the most saleable sporting icon in a city which boasts of the likes of a V.V.S. Laxman or Sania Mirza is no mean task — and it gives one a pointer to the growing stature of this 20-year-old in the Indian sporting horizon.
Little wonder then that there would be others trying to cash in on the ‘Brand Saina.'
The hottest piece of news in the country's sports endorsement sector over the past week had been her touching the Rs10 million mark for a sponsorship deal when telecom giants Airtel signed her up for that amount. And guess who all she joins in the marquee line-up of Airtel brand ambassadors — Shah Rukh Khan and Sachin Tendulkar.
The girl next door
However, broach the subject with Saina and one realises that despite the world changing around her over the last two years rapidly, she remains very much the girl next door.
"I want to thank Airtel for recognising a badminton player and I am happy to accept the offer. However, it's nothing compared to the cricketers as that is a more popular game in our country," she told Gulf News from Hyderabad.
It's been more than two years now since she became the first Indian to make the quarterfinals of the Olympics in Beijing — and how life has changed around her. For the average Indian sports fan fed on an overdose of cricket and its overpaid, nose-in-the-air stars, Saina is like a breath of fresh air.
Her recent exploits on court has everyone — from the Bollywood biggies to the man on the street — wishing her luck whenever she embarks on a new tournament in recent times.
There's of course a small price to pay for all this — apart from getting mobbed at public places, there is this frighteningly high level of expectations from a country of a billion people whenever she steps on to the court now.
"Yes, it is wonderful to have achieved so many things in the last two years. People now recognise me at all places and show a lot of love and affection. However, I have little time to go for outings," she confides.
Saina is, of course, well aware of the fact that her Commonwealth Games gold — coming under an intense pressure situation — is only going to fuel the expectations of an encore at the Asian Games.
Tougher battle
As the number two seed, the battle will be much tougher for her this time with the Chinese girls coming back and the event taking place at their backyard in Guang Zhou.
"I have gone back to my daily schedule under Gopi [Pulella Gopichand] sir: daily six to seven hours in two sessions. Yes, I know the Chinese will be tough at home but I have a good record against them in recent times and will do my best for a podium finish," she said.
The current year had been like a dream for her so far. Not only has it seen her perched permanently among the top three in the world rankings, official recognition have come in thick and fast with the Rajiv Khel Ratna and the NDTV Sportsperson for the Year while the on-court form had been tremendous. The only place where she hadn't been able to give of her best was the World Championships, and Saina wants to set the record straight there at the next opportunity.
"This year had been good to me for I had been getting the results for all the hard work I had put in. There is still a lot more to do," comes the matter-of-fact observation.
As you wish to sign off with best wishes for ‘Mission Guang Zhou,' Saina had a message for the Indian expat population in the Middle East.
"Please convey my Diwali greetings to all the Indians living in that part of the world."
- Date of birth: March 17, 1990 Place of birth: Hisar, Haryana
- Height: 1.65m (5 ft 5 in) Weight: 60kg (130 lb)
- Country: India Handedness: Right
- Coach: Pullela Gopichand
- Women's singles
- Current Ranking 3 (October 14, 2010)
Walking the ramp
The fans of Saina Nehwal were in for a pleasant surprise recently when she walked the ramp recently during one of the high profile fashion weeks in India, looking quite resplendent in pink bridal wear. Asked if she would do it again, the badminton ace quickly put her priorities in place.
"That was just for fun. I am not a regular visitor to the ramp. My aim, for now, is to do well on the badminton court only," she quipped.
Do you think a rise in sponsorship earnings will make her lose focus? Can she repeat her Commonwealth Games performance in the Asian Galmes?
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