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There are no Sharapovas in badminton: Saina Nehwal

In a freewheeling chat with Zee News’ Swati Chaturvedi on Kahiye Janab, Saina talks about her professional and personal life.

Saina Nehwal created history on June 21, 2009 by becoming the first Indian woman to clinch the Indonesian Open Super Series, after she defeated Wang Li of China in a nail-biting final match. All of just 19 years of age, Saina is not just an ordinary girl but an ace shuttler, who has carved her own niche at both the national and international badminton circuits by the dint of her hard work. In a freewheeling chat with Zee News’ Swati Chaturvedi on Kahiye Janab, Saina talks about her professional and personal life and the love of her life – badminton.
Swati: You have won many laurels for India. It seems people have all of a sudden become aware of your presence after the Super Series victory. Is that true? Saina: Yes, it is true. Earlier, I used to win, but there was hardly any encouragement. Nevertheless, I never lost hope and kept performing. Had this encouragement been earlier on, I could have won more titles. Yet, I do deserve this victory. Swati: Do you think that cricket and Saina Mirza have been hogging all the limelight? Saina: Yes, cricket is worshipped like religion in India. Well, I am not against them but every good player should be encouraged. Swati: Comparing you with Sania Mirza, do you think Sania is getting all the plum endorsements? Saina: I do feel that and it inspires me to work harder. Maybe I still have to prove myself to people but I don’t feel bad. Primarily, I should concentrate on my game. Maybe badminton is not so popular. Prakash Padukone and Pullela Gopichand struggled for recognition inspite of being such big names in badminton. I feel I belong to the same league. Swati: Do you like winning? Saina: Yes, I do believe in winning and I am confident about my game. Swati: What about losing? Saina: I cannot sleep at night! I keep on thinking about the reasons behind losing a game. Yet, it is a learning experience and I always try to perform better the next time. Swati: What sets apart a top class player? Saina: I have always been a disciplined sportsperson. I am always 15 minutes early in practice sessions. I am focused. I cannot stay away from the badminton court for a single day! Even my parents played badminton; I can say it’s in my genes. Swati: Have you missed your growing-up years due to badminton? Saina: I never had the time to think about it. I practice for eight to nine hours daily. After a grueling schedule, one hardly gets to think anything. Each match is 70 minutes long and it is a tiring process. The day I win, I treat myself with shopping and eating ice cream. Swati: Why there is no glamour in badminton as compared to tennis? Saina: There are no Sharapovas in badminton. Tennis is a hugely popular game that involves a lot of money. Only Yonex is supporting badminton. Other companies should come forward and support the game too. Swati: Abhinav Bindra once said that he did not win the Olympic Gold because of Indian government. Do you think we have the capability to win more Olympic medals? Saina: It is impossible as we neither have sponsors nor encouragement. At a time, in order to be successful, one has to be dedicated and willing to forego anything. In comparison to other countries, it’s different in India as many sportsperson struggle on personal and professional fronts. Swati: How much support have you got from the Indian government? Saina: The government is supportive. But, I have my own sponsors too. Yet, the government support alone cannot help; one needs something extra to attain success. In other countries, like China, Fedex supports even budding players. But that’s not the case in India. As a result, budding players struggle for the right support. Swati: Will you be dating an actor? Saina: (Laughs) I really have no idea. Right now, I am too busy in my game. Swati: How much supportive have your parents been? Saina: My parents have been extremely supportive as without their support I couldn’t have managed to reach here. I wanted to be a doctor but couldn’t realise my dream. My parents wanted me to concentrate on my game and win more medals. I want to become world’s number one player and win an Olympic medal. Adapted by: Aman Kanth