My Coach Tells me I am a Special Child, says World No. 1 Again Saina My Coach Tells me I am a Special Child, says World No. 1 Again Saina Nehwal
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The
fluctuating and complex nature of rankings in sports has smiled on
"special child" Saina Nehwal again. The top Indian shuttler has
become world No. 1 less than a fortnight after losing it. Saina, who skipped
last week's Singapore Open, is preparing in Bangalore for the Asian badminton
championships in China starting April 21.
Saina's
elevation to the No. 1 spot has come after Olympic champion Li Xuerui dropped
crucial points after skipping the Singapore Open.
Saina, the
first Indian woman shuttler to be world number one after her India Open Grand
Prix Gold triumph earlier this month, had dropped to second place following her
semifinal finish in the Malaysia Open Super Series
"Didn't
dream of this happening. Nobody gets to be world number one for the second
time," Saina told NDTV on Thursday.
It's been a
dream year for Saina so far after she dropped to No. 9 in the world. "I
lost confidence. My coach Vimal Kumar helped me get my confidence back. I thank
myself too! I have worked very hard," she said.
Last year
before the Incheon Asian Games, Saina changed coaches. She left Pulella
Gopichand in Hyderabad to join former national coach Vimal Kumar in Bangalore.
"The
shift to Bangalore has proved even luckier for me. Vimal Kumar told me I am a
special child," said Saina, who almost quit badminton in August last year.
Saina looks
very determined to win her next Super Series title in China.
"I hate
losing . I am playing the best badminton of my life, but can still do
better," she told NDTV.
Saina
congratulated Sania Mirza for becoming the world's No. 1 doubles team in
tennis.
"Happy
to read about Sania. It's not about Hyderabad, it is about the hard work you
put in," Saina, a London Olympics bronze medallist, said.
