Badminton Queen of India Saina Nehwal Read Free Page A

confidence levels.
    The school was cooperative too. It allowed Saina to skip exams and encouraged her to play for the country. They knew she would make the whole country proud one day. This was a proud moment for Saina too.
    The year 2008 arrived with an opportunity to participate in the Under-19 World Junior Badminton Championships. The championship was organized by the Badminton World Federation. Saina really worked hard to win it.
    The same year, Saina was invited to school as chief guest for the Sports Day. This was an emotional moment for the budding badminton star. The moment she took her place on the podium, the dean addressed her as ‘madam’. This was unbelievable! The shock was enough to make this teenager fall off the chair. This was also the moment Saina understood what she has achieved in life.
    The rigorous training schedule and regular touring for tournaments within India and abroad had left very little time for Saina to concentrate on studies. She gave up studies after giving exams for 11th standard.

Saina’s Journey to the Top
    So, how did Saina made it to the top? Did she face many troubles? Well, to reach to a certain height in any field, one must face struggles and overcome them. In case of badminton, the game needs to be played step by step. There are no shortcuts in the dictionary of badminton. So, Saina moved ahead slow and steady. She had her goals set. First, district level, then state level, national level and then international level.
    At the age of twelve, Saina participated in the team event of Commonwealth Games. Aparna Popat, the best women’s player in India was the main player in the event. All eyes were on her. Saina was a mere junior player. Hence, her duty was to spend time on the bench. The badminton lover was not quite happy to spend time in idleness. She wanted to rush to the court and test her skills.
    However, the experience proved to be a significant for budding player, Saina. She could see the how experienced players acted in the court, their strategies etc. Her major focus was Aparna. She learnt a lot from her. This was also the moment when Saina yearned to be a part of international circuit.
    By the grace of God, Saina got this opportunity in the year 2003. Saina was selected for Czechoslovakia Junior Open in Prague. It was an Under-19 tournament. She was 13 years old and an unranked player then. Saina played 5 rounds before reaching finals and won gold. But her performance was appreciated. It was her first international tournament and she managed to beat players ranked between World Numbers 60 and 20 (senior category). Saina always believed in trying and winning. Rank is just a number. Badminton is all about trying hard and learning from past experiences.
    “Every player who makes it past qualifying matches has a chance to win.”
    – Saina Nehwal
    The tournament was an inspiring experience for Saina. It filled her with immense confidence. She knew what it takes to play an international tournament. After the game, there was a celebration. Anand Pawar, one of Saina’s team-mates had won the boy’s championship. Both players organized a dinner treat for the rest of team members and enjoyed. That night, Saina had chocolates to her heart’s fill.
    By the age of 15, Saina started playing in the Seniors Nationals. The year was 2005 and lost it to Aparna Popat. Thereafter, she played for the Asian Satellite Badminton Tournament and won.
    When it comes to enjoying top position in badminton, the kind of tournaments played by a player also matters. In Saina’s case, although she had started playing internationally, there was more to do on her part. It was time for her to focus on ‘big’ tournaments. This time, this young girl was eyeing at Uber Cup 2006 tournament. It was to be held in Jaipur.
    The tournament started and Saina won every game she played. However, the team lost and couldn’t reach finals. She couldn’t do much. The loss was big but it couldn’t dampen the