Saina Nehwal

Commonwealth Games Medal Record
Badminton
Bronze	2006 Melbourne	Mixed Team

Saina Nehwal (b. 17 March, 1990) is an Indian woman player of Badminton. She won the 2006 Philippines Open, to become the first Indian woman to win a four-star badminton event. She is currently coached by Pullela Gopichand's Academy in Hyderabad. Previously she was coached by S. M. Arif, a Dronacharya Award winner. Her play is dominated by power. Both her parents were former state champions in Haryana. She has been the runner-up twice in the National women's single event, losing both times to Aparna Popat in the final. She holds the Under-19 women's single title. In the 2006 World Junior badminton tournament when Saina lost to top seed Chinese Wang Yihan 13-21, 9-21 said, "She is a better player than I am. She recently beat seniors world number one Xie Xing Fang. But she is beatable. I can beat her." [1]

She was signed on by the Champions Trust of London-based steel baron Lakshmi Mittal that wants to help her become an international champion. Saina is currently under the tutelage of Pullela Gopichand, a former national champion and former All England champion, who is on the advisory board of the trust. Her career best world ranking is 27 [2] . Currently she is ranked 27th.[3]

Career highlights

2006

• Junior World badminton championship : Finalist
• Commonwealth Games: Bronze medal in the Mixed Team Event - defeated higher ranked Tracey Hallam in the semi-finals.
• Philippines Open: Won the event, defeating Julia Xian Pei Wong of Malaysia and several higher ranked players including the top seed (She was unseeded and ranked 86 at the beginning of the tourney)

Pre-2006 [4]

Saina won Chzechoslovakia Junior open tournament in 2003

Saina won silver medal in 2nd Youth commonwealth games team held in Bedigo Australia 2004

Pre quartefinalist in Junior world cup held in Canada 2004

References

see her here