Saina Nehwal’ s ascension to the top of women’s badminton at the Indian Open Super Series event is a landmark event in Indian sport. To put it is perspective, it might be worthwhile to think back to the few previous times women’s sport in India has looked so dazzling: PT Usha’s Los Angeles run in 1984, Sania Mirza’s impending elevation to world number one in women’s doubles tennis and Mary Kom’s boxing achievements.
For Indian women, Nehwal’s is a lesson that cannot be forgotten. She comes from a state where the sex ration is skewed. In other ways, her achievement then is a challenge and a cry against the patriarchal, khap-minded state as well. But Haryana is emerging from a dark phase and has already made great contributions to Indian sport. Here then is one more.
At New Delhi’s cavernous Siri Fort indoor stadium, not her favourite venue, Nehwal stuck to her routine power game on Saturday night to put it across Japanese Yui Hashimoto, 21-15, 21- 11 to reach the final. Nehwal may have known even before her semifinal that she had just dislodged the reigning number one, China’s Li Xueri. This was because the gritty Spainiard Carolina Marin, her nearest challenger, lost to Thailand’s Intanon Ratchanok in the other semifinal.
'An incredible feeling'
“It’s an incredible feeling” Nehwal commented after the semifinal win. “I sometimes think I won’t believe it until I see the ranking list myself.” Nehwal also knows that it will difficult to maintain the ranking since both Ratchanok and Marin and Xueri are snapping at her heels.
Badminton rankings take the best of 52 matches and Nehwal got lucky after the reigning champ China’s Li Xuerie (79214 points) did not make it to the Super Series events to concentrate instead on the upcoming Malayasia Open, Nehwal now has 74381 points. She will pocket over 7000 points from this event and will be officially crowned the world champion next week.
Nehwal’s power game has improved considerably and she looks stronger than all those in the top five. Nehwal does not waste much time at the net preferring instead to pin her opponent to the baseline and then smash her way through.
In her semifinal against Hashimoto, Nehwal did just that, using her powerful round-the-head smash to wrong foot her tricky opponent. It also helped Nehwal that Hashimoto was a bit error prone sending the bird many times over the baseline. There were moments of tension when Hashomoto took six points at a stretch in the second set even after Nehwal reached game point.
Nehwal will be constantly challenged by the other three: Ratchanok, Marin and Li. Ratchanok and Marin played a thrilling three-setter, which was a lesson in court craft. Ratchanok especially is a champion dribbler at the net, constantly pulling the shuttle out at impossible angles to keep Marin at bay. Ratchanok can effortlessly drop the ball from the extreme right of the net to the extreme left and also tantalisingly delay her net shot to wrong foot her opponent. Both Marin and Ratchanok are frail and puny and that is why craftiness matters but they also pack incredible power into their shots. Maybe they can take a bit of advise on Haryanvi diet from Nehwal.
Steely resolve
Nehwal clearly has benefitted from moving away from Gopichand to be under the guidance of former international Kerala’s Vimal Kumar in Bangalore. He was at her side to guide her though but Nehwal may still have to rejig her reportoire to stay at the top: be more unpredictable at the net, dribble and deceive a bit more, develop the back hand smash as a relief against her favourite round-head smash. But then she is from Haryana and she punches straight. Also at this level her sense of the lines has to be perfect, not a matter of luck.
In India’s sparse list of global achievements Nehwal’s impending elevation to number one will be a stellar one. Though PV Sindhu is also capable of achieving the top ranking, Nehwal clearly has shown the way. Since the time she hit the scene as a junior world champ, Nehwal has had a steely resolve that few Indians are capable of showing or preserving. She had her focus and like her mentor Gopichand, a self-effacing humility.
All that has helped as then Indian sports lover once again get the rare chance to survey the world from the pinnacle. For a 25-year-old woman who practised relentlessly over the last decade, it is just recompense. For Indian sport a world number one is an unimaginable achievement. For it will send out ripples that will inspire an entire generation.
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For Indian women, Nehwal’s is a lesson that cannot be forgotten. She comes from a state where the sex ration is skewed. In other ways, her achievement then is a challenge and a cry against the patriarchal, khap-minded state as well. But Haryana is emerging from a dark phase and has already made great contributions to Indian sport. Here then is one more.
At New Delhi’s cavernous Siri Fort indoor stadium, not her favourite venue, Nehwal stuck to her routine power game on Saturday night to put it across Japanese Yui Hashimoto, 21-15, 21- 11 to reach the final. Nehwal may have known even before her semifinal that she had just dislodged the reigning number one, China’s Li Xueri. This was because the gritty Spainiard Carolina Marin, her nearest challenger, lost to Thailand’s Intanon Ratchanok in the other semifinal.
'An incredible feeling'
“It’s an incredible feeling” Nehwal commented after the semifinal win. “I sometimes think I won’t believe it until I see the ranking list myself.” Nehwal also knows that it will difficult to maintain the ranking since both Ratchanok and Marin and Xueri are snapping at her heels.
Badminton rankings take the best of 52 matches and Nehwal got lucky after the reigning champ China’s Li Xuerie (79214 points) did not make it to the Super Series events to concentrate instead on the upcoming Malayasia Open, Nehwal now has 74381 points. She will pocket over 7000 points from this event and will be officially crowned the world champion next week.
Nehwal’s power game has improved considerably and she looks stronger than all those in the top five. Nehwal does not waste much time at the net preferring instead to pin her opponent to the baseline and then smash her way through.
In her semifinal against Hashimoto, Nehwal did just that, using her powerful round-the-head smash to wrong foot her tricky opponent. It also helped Nehwal that Hashimoto was a bit error prone sending the bird many times over the baseline. There were moments of tension when Hashomoto took six points at a stretch in the second set even after Nehwal reached game point.
Nehwal will be constantly challenged by the other three: Ratchanok, Marin and Li. Ratchanok and Marin played a thrilling three-setter, which was a lesson in court craft. Ratchanok especially is a champion dribbler at the net, constantly pulling the shuttle out at impossible angles to keep Marin at bay. Ratchanok can effortlessly drop the ball from the extreme right of the net to the extreme left and also tantalisingly delay her net shot to wrong foot her opponent. Both Marin and Ratchanok are frail and puny and that is why craftiness matters but they also pack incredible power into their shots. Maybe they can take a bit of advise on Haryanvi diet from Nehwal.
Steely resolve
Nehwal clearly has benefitted from moving away from Gopichand to be under the guidance of former international Kerala’s Vimal Kumar in Bangalore. He was at her side to guide her though but Nehwal may still have to rejig her reportoire to stay at the top: be more unpredictable at the net, dribble and deceive a bit more, develop the back hand smash as a relief against her favourite round-head smash. But then she is from Haryana and she punches straight. Also at this level her sense of the lines has to be perfect, not a matter of luck.
In India’s sparse list of global achievements Nehwal’s impending elevation to number one will be a stellar one. Though PV Sindhu is also capable of achieving the top ranking, Nehwal clearly has shown the way. Since the time she hit the scene as a junior world champ, Nehwal has had a steely resolve that few Indians are capable of showing or preserving. She had her focus and like her mentor Gopichand, a self-effacing humility.
All that has helped as then Indian sports lover once again get the rare chance to survey the world from the pinnacle. For a 25-year-old woman who practised relentlessly over the last decade, it is just recompense. For Indian sport a world number one is an unimaginable achievement. For it will send out ripples that will inspire an entire generation.
