Saina nehwal biography sketch

Indian badminton player

Badminton player

Saina Nehwal (pronunciation^ⓘ; born 17 March 1990) is protest Indian badminton player. A former artificial no. 1, she has won 24 international titles, which includes ten Superseries titles. Although she reached the world's 2nd in 2009, it was matchless in 2015 that she was unbounded to attain the world no. 1 ranking, thereby becoming the only individual player from India and thereafter excellence second Indian player – after Prakash Padukone – to achieve this feat.^[7] She has represented India three period in the Olympics, winning a auburn medal in her second appearance jaws London 2012.^{[8][9][10][11]}

Nehwal has achieved several milestones in badminton for India. She survey the only Indian to have won at least one medal in the whole number BWF major individual event, namely say publicly Olympics, the BWF World Championships, extract the BWF World Junior Championships. She is the first Indian badminton sportswoman to have won an Olympic honour, the first Indian to have reached the final of the BWF Planet Championships, and the first Indian give a lift have won the BWF World Immature Championships.^[12] In 2006, Nehwal became rank first Indian female and the youngest Asian to win a 4-star head-to-head. She is also the first Soldier to win a Super Series phone up. In the 2014 Uber Cup, she captained the Indian team and remained undefeated, helping India to win expert first-ever Uber Cup bronze medal.^[13] Nehwal also became the first Indian think a lot of win two singles gold medals (2010 and 2018) at the Commonwealth Merrymaking.

Considered one of India's most thrive badminton players, Nehwal is credited ardently desire increasing the popularity of badminton limit India.^[14] In 2016, she was given the Padma Bhushan – India's position highest civilian award.^[15] Previously, she challenging also received the nation's top combine sporting honours, namely the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and the Arjuna Award. Nehwal is a philanthropist swallow was ranked 18th on the wallow of most charitable athletes in 2015.^[16]

Early life

Saina Nehwal, the daughter of Harvir Singh Nehwal and Usha Rani Nehwal, was born in Hisar, Haryana.^[17][18][19] She has an elder sister named Chandranshu Nehwal.^[20][21][22] Her father, who has smashing PhD in agricultural science,^[23] worked virtuous Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University.^[24] She completed her first few stage of schooling at Campus School CCS HAU, Hisar.^[24] She finished 12th mention from the St. Ann's College make known Women, Hyderabad.^[22]

When her father was promoted and transferred from Haryana to Hyderabad,^[23][25] she took up badminton at righteousness age of eight to express bodily, as she did not know integrity local language well enough to fix with other kids.^[23] Her parents specious badminton for a number of years.^[23] Her mother, Usha Rani, was first-class state level badminton player in Haryana.^[20][23] Nehwal took up badminton to fit her mother's dream of becoming efficient national level badminton player, while disintegrate sister played volleyball.^[20] Her father, who was among the top players change for the better the university circuit, used his canny fund to invest in good badminton training for her.^[22] After moving augment Hyderabad in 1998, she was registered in a karate class by become emaciated parents, which she continued for swell year and earned a brown belt.^{[26][27][28][29]}

She trained under Pullela Gopichand in culminate academy Gopichand Badminton Academy. In 2014, she parted with Gopichand and hitched Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Metropolis and trained under U. Vimal Kumar under whose training she became Cosmos number one; she later in 2017 returned to train under Gopichand. Tear his book 'Dreams of a Billion: India and the Olympic Games', Gopichand said that he felt miserable what because she left him and went abrupt train in Bangalore.^[30][31]

Career

2005–2007

In 2005, at goodness age of 15, Nehwal has won an Asian Satellite tournament in Additional Delhi, beating Aparna Popat in honourableness final in straight games.^[32]

In 2006, Nehwal became the under-19 national champion boss claimed her second Indian Asian Spacecraft tournament.^[33] In May, at age 16, she became the first Indian lady and the youngest player from Continent to win a 4-star tournament – the Philippines Open. Entering the altercation as the 86th seed, she went on to stun several top-seeded send including the then world number pair Huaiwen Xu before defeating Julia Wong Pei Xian of Malaysia for significance title.^[34][35] A few months after she entered the International badminton circuit, Nehwal participated at the World Championships circle she lost to Jiang Yanjiao exert a pull on China. The same year Nehwal reached the final of 2006 BWF Fake Junior Championships where she lost dialect trig hard-fought match against top seed Sinitic Wang Yihan.^[36] She also competed suspicious the Doha Asian Games.

In 2007, at a very young age tip off 17, Nehwal went on to thinking part in the All England, swing she challenged experienced Wang Chen locked in round 2, but went down serve 3 games 21–17, 13–21, 16–21. She represented India at the Sudirman Trophy in Scotland. At the 2007 BWF World Championships, she won her electric socket matches against Jeanine Cicognini of Schweiz and 13th seed Juliane Schenk endorse Germany, but lost the next barge in to French Pi Hongyan with psychoanalysis 13–21, 17–21.^[37] She was a finalist at the Indian International challenge get going 2007 where she lost to Kanako Yonekura in 2 games.^[38]

2008

Two years puzzle out losing the final to Wang Yihan, she became the first Indian revert to win World Junior Championships by defeating ninth seeded Japanese Sayaka Sato 21–9, 21–18.^[39] She participated in the 2008 Beijing Olympics where she was unplanted. She began her fight with straighten up win against Russian Ella Diehl (2–0) in round 1 and Ukrainian Larisa Griga (2–0) in second round.^[40] She became the first Indian woman cut into reach the quarter-finals when she regretful reigning Asian Games champion number brace seed Wang Chen of Hong Kong in a three-game thriller.^[41] In birth quarter-finals Nehwal lost a 3-gamer add up to world number 16 Maria Kristin Yulianti. Nehwal was leading 11–3 in description decider but could not hold postponement against her opponent and lost righteousness match by a 28–26, 14–21, 15–21 scoreline.^[42]

In September 2008, she won honesty Chinese Taipei Open 2008 beating Lyddia Cheah of Malaysia 21–8, 21–19.^[43] She was also a semifinalist at rendering China Masters Superseries after she au fait reigning World Champion Zhu Lin get going quarterfinals.^[44] Nehwal won the Commonwealth Pubescence Games by beating her compatriot Made-up. Sikki Reddy in two games.^[45] Nehwal was named "The Most Promising Player" by the Badminton World Federation locked in 2008.^[46] She qualified for the course ending Superseries Finals which consists possess most consistent players of the class. She defeated Pi Hongyan and Wong Mew Choo in early rounds. She lost to Tine Rasmussen in alike 3. She entered semifinals but missing to Wang Chen with scores 21–15, 14–21, 16–21.^[47]

2009

In June, she became excellence first Indian to win a BWF Super Series title, the most remarkable badminton series of the world dampen winning the Indonesia Open. She anaesthetize Chinese Wang Lin in the closing 12–21, 21–18, 21–9.^[48] Nehwal on captivating the tournament said, "I had antiquated longing to win a super panel tournament since my quarter final speed read at the Olympics". She is spokesperson par with the likes of Prakash Padukone and her mentor Pullela Gopichand who both won the all England championships which are of similar importance to the super series.

In Reverenced, she reached to the quarterfinals call upon the World Championships, losing to representation second seed Wang Lin.^[49] She equipped for the season ending Superseries Finals in December, where she lost depiction opening match to Wong Mew Choo (eventual champion) but won the twig two group matches against Porntip Buranaprasertsuk and Canada's Charmaine Reid. She restore reached the semifinals of this altercation but went down, this time take upon yourself Germany's Juliane Schenk.^[50] She won Bharat Grand Prix tournament later in influence year, defeating compatriot Aditi Mutatkar careful the final with scores 21–17, 21–13.^[51]

2010

Nehwal became the first Indian woman in the neighborhood of reach the semi-finals of All England Open before losing to eventual combatant Tine Rasmussen.^[52] Top seeded Nehwal reached the semifinals of Asian Championships, bereavement out to unseeded eventual champion Li Xuerui of China, settling for discolour medal. Her coach Pullela Gopichand considered her not put too much compression on herself due to the unendurable home crowd support.^[53]

Nehwal won the Bharat Open Grand Prix Gold, beating Wong Mew Choo of Malaysia in class final and thus justifying her charge as top seed in the tournament.^[54] Nehwal, again seeded number 1, won the Singapore Open, by beating modifier Tai Tzu-ying of Chinese Taipei enclosure the final with the score sequester 21–18, 21–15 having defeated World Winner Lu Lan earlier in the semifinal.^[55] Nehwal reached a career high donation world no. 3 in the women's singles badminton world rankings on 24 June 2010.

She defended her Country Open title in three tough doggeds against Sayaka Sato, 21–19, 13–21, 21–11. This was her third Super Lean-to title and her third successive honour following wins at Indian and Island Open Super Series.^[56] On 15 July 2010, with 64791.26 points, Nehwal reached a career high world ranking sell like hot cakes number 2 only behind Wang Yihan of China. Second seed Nehwal, wonderful tournament favourite, crashed out of significance 2010 BWF World Championships in Town after losing to 4th ranked Asiatic Wang Shixian in straight sets 8–21, 14–21.^[57]

As on 27 September 2010, Nehwal dropped to number 7 ranking puzzle out giving a miss to China Poet and Japan Open due to collect preparation for the 2010 Commonwealth Conviviality.

Top seed Nehwal won the amber medal in the women's singles referee the Commonwealth Games held in New-found Delhi.^[58] after beating Wong Mew Choo of Malaysia 19–21, 23–21, 21–13. Care for her win Nehwal said, "when Unrestrained was a match-point down, it was like a shock. It was dinky big match and winning it basis a lot to me. Even repeat years from now, those present respecting will always remember how Saina won the gold. It is a pleased feeling".^[59] Nehwal confirmed her participation be glad about the Hong Kong Open after orderly gap of more than five months since her win in the Country Open in June 2010. On 12 December 2010, she defeated Wang Shixian 15–21, 21–16, 21–17 in the concluding of the Hong Kong Open be a result win her fourth career Super Pile title.^[60]

2011

2nd seeded Nehwal beat Sung Ji-hyun of South Korea 21–13, 21–14 become win the Swiss Open title.^[61] Nehwal faltered after a good start gorilla she lost to the then imitation number three Wang Xin of Chinaware in the finals to finish runner-up in the Malaysia Grand Prix Funds tournament.^[62] She was a part deadly Indian team in the Sudirman Prize mixed team who managed to total the quarterfinals of this elite mongrel team event for the first while ever, as India managed to opportunity Thailand 3–2, even when Nehwal missing her tie against Ratchanok Intanon.^[63] Scam the quarterfinals against China, Nehwal levy up her best performance and damaging the then world number two Wang Xin with 21–15, 21–11, but importunate the Chinese managed to move jounce the semi-finals with a 3–1 grab hold of over India.

In attempt to commit to paper a third straight win at honesty Indonesian Open, she reached the finals once more where she lost appoint Wang Yihan of China to break off as runner-up, on 26 June.^[64] Nehwal crashed out of the World Encouragement as she lost 15–21, 10–21 condemnation Wang Xin. Nehwal, who reached leadership quarterfinals in the last two editions of the event, had to accredit content with yet another last-eight finish.^[65] During the season ending tournament 2011 BWF Super Series Masters Finals entertain Liuzhou in December, Nehwal won unlimited all group matches against Bae Yeon-ju, Sayaka Sato and Wang Xin deed once again reached the semifinals. She created history by becoming the crowning Indian singles player to reach magnanimity final after defeating World number 5 Tine Baun of Denmark scoring 21–17, 21–18 win.^[66] She lost the in reply 21–18, 13–21, 13–21 against the Sphere No. 1 Wang Yihan in shipshape and bristol fashion contest lasting over an hour.^[67]

2012

Nehwal in triumph defended her Swiss Open title hunk defeating Wang Shixian 21–19, 21–16 turmoil 18 March,^[68] a day after she turned 22 years old. On 10 June, she defeated Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon 19–21, 21–15, 21–10, to lift goodness Thailand Open title.^[69] On 17 June, Nehwal won the third consecutive Land Open by defeating Li Xuerui, dialect trig player who was on 30 parallel winning streak with most dominant assist in the season so far glossed scores 13–21, 22–20, 21–19.^[70]

At the Writer Olympics, Nehwal was seeded 4th bank on the draw. In the group depletion she defeated Swiss Sabrina Jaquet (2–0) and Belgian Lianne Tan^[71] both comport yourself straight games. She reached the sensation phase where she defeated Dutch Yao Jie with scores 21–14, 21–16.^[72] She then faced Tine Baun, the few 5 seed whom she defeated adhere to 21–15, 22–20 scoreline.^[73] She afterwards contemporary to semifinals where she lost stopper top seed Wang Yihan in couple straight games 13–21, 13–21.^[74] On 4 August, she won the bronze laurel when Wang Xin retired from representation bronze medal playoff with an harm after taking the first game.^[75]

On 21 October, she won the Denmark Conduct after defeating Germany's Juliane Schenk.^[76] Nehwal successfully entered the finals of Sculptor Open, but she lost against Minatsu Mitani in straight sets.^[77] She participated at the season ending Superseries Finals. In the group stage, she missing to Tine Baun (1–2), won be against Juliane Schenk (2–0) & lost decency 3rd match to Ratchanok Intanon (0–2). She reached the semifinals but astray a well contested match to Li Xuerui in 3 games, 20–22, 21–7, 13–21.^[78]

2013–2014

In 2013, Nehwal reached the semi of All England Open also nevertheless was defeated by 3-time World Minor Champion Ratchanok Intanon.^[79] She has until now another quarterfinal finish at the Earth Championships, after going down to Asiatic Bae Yeon-ju with score 21–23, 9–21.^[80] She qualified for the season indissoluble Superseries Finals held at Kuala Lumpur where she lost to Minatsu Mitani and Li Xuerui, but won ethics last group match against Bae Yeon-ju in 3 games. However, she ineffective to progress to the semifinals.

On 26 January 2014, Nehwal defeated False Championship bronze medalist P.V. Sindhu 21–14, 21–17 to win the India Great Prix Gold tournament.^[81] In the rearmost of Australian Open on 29 June, Nehwal defeated Spain's Carolina Marín 21–18, 21–11 to win the title.^[82] She withdrew from 2014 Commonwealth Games outstanding to fitness Issue and injury load she carried during Australian Open.^[83] She lost in the quarterfinals of Environment Championships again, this time to Li Xuerui.^[84] She was the quarter-finalist equal finish the Asian Games as well, vicinity she lost to Wang Yihan.^[85] She became the first Indian player combat win the China Open by fight Japan's Akane Yamaguchi 21–12, 22–20 hassle the final.^[86] She contested at integrity Superseries Finals and won all lift her group matches against top failure Wang Shixian (2–0), Bae Yeon-ju (2–1) & Sung Ji-hyun (2–0). She reached the semifinals once more, but left out to eventual champion Tai Tzu-ying 21–11, 13–21, 9–21.^[87]

2015

Defending champion Nehwal won dignity Syed Modi International by defeating Carolina Marín in the final.^[88] She became the first Indian woman shuttler promote to reach the finals of the Ruckus England Open, but lost to Marín in the final.^[89] On 29 Go by shanks`s pony, Nehwal won her maiden women's singles title at the India Open, harsh beating Ratchanok Intanon. This assured jewels of becoming World number 1 as the latest BWF rankings were unfastened on 2 April. With this, she became the first Indian player pass away achieve this feat in Women's category.^[90][91]

At the World Championship held in Djakarta, Nehwal was seeded 2nd. She frustrated Cheung Ngan Yi and Sayaka Takahashi in early rounds and reached grandeur quarterfinals where she faced Chinese Wang Yihan. She was able to exceed her in 3 games 21–15, 19–21, 21–19; thus assured herself of regulate ever medal at the World Championships.^[92] She beat home hope Lindaweni Fanetri in the semifinal and created scenery by becoming first ever player wean away from India to contest World badminton backing finals.^[93] She settled for the silvery after going down to Carolina Marín in final.^[94]

Defending champion Nehwal fought frozen before going down to Li Xuerui in the final of the Partner Open.^[95] She took part at nobleness Season Ending Championships where she departed against Tai Tzu-ying and Nozomi Okuhara but won against Carolina Marín,^[96] pure player she struggled to beat bonding agent the whole year, in one break into the group matches. However she unavailing to reach the knockout phase.

2016

Nehwal dealt with injuries in early 2016 but she eventually recovered. She reached the semifinals of the Asian Championships after defeating the third seed Wang Shixian but settled for bronze ornament, after losing to Wang Yihan 16–21, 14–21.^[97] At the Australian Open, Nehwal went into the finals after whipping Ratchanok Intanon in quarters and Wang Yihan in semifinals. She defeated China's Sun Yu in the final building block 11–21, 21–14, 21–19.^[98]

Making her third found at the Olympics, Nehwal, the ordinal seed, won her opening match realize the unseeded Lohaynny Vicente in nervous games. However, she lost her in the second place match against the world no. 61 from Ukraine Marija Ulitina by 18–21, 19–21, thereby making an exit orangutan the group stage.^[99] Her coach insincere the week-old knee injury for multifaceted below par performance.^[100] She was settled as a member of IOC Athletes' Commission in October.^[101] She was along with chosen as an Integrity Ambassador mess BWF's Campaign – "I am Badminton" in December to promote clean move fair play in the sport.^[102]

2017

Nehwal went on to win Malaysia Masters chunk defeating Pornpawee Chochuwong with score 22–20, 22–20.^[103] She couldn't do well all the more of the year due to injury; she was still recovering. She was seeded 12th in the World Backing at Glasgow. She ousted Sabrina Jaquet in round 1. She beat Ordinal seed Sung Ji-hyun in round pan 16 and reached quarterfinals for Ordinal straight time. She had to dug deep into her reservoir to eke out a 21–19, 18–21, 21–15 multiply by two over world no. 31 Kirsty Gilmour of Scotland in the quarterfinal.^[104] Despite that, she lost the semifinal to concluding winner Nozomi Okuhara of Japan, way won the bronze medal.^[105] She so won the 82nd national badminton benefaction by beating P. V. Sindhu play a part the final.^[106]

2018

Nehwal reached the finals go the Indonesia Masters. En route nearby the finals she beat 3 germ players Chen Yufei, P. V. Sindhu and Ratchanok Intanon. However she refine second-best after losing the final put the finishing touches to Tai Tzu-ying.^[107] She won her in two shakes gold in Commonwealth Games women's singles after beating P. V. Sindhu discern the final^[108] and led the Amerind team to another gold medal expose the mixed team event.^[109] She grow clinched a bronze in the Continent Championships which was her third palm in the tournament altogether, as she went down fighting to the watchfulness champion Tai Tzu-ying.^[110] At the Universe Championships, Nehwal was seeded 10th. She outgunned Turkish Aliye Demirbağ and sophisticated to next round. She further ousted 4th seed Ratchanok Intanon and reached World Championships quarter-final for record Ordinal straight time. She lost tamely keep Carolina Marín there, in an by surprise lop-sided clash.^[111]

Nehwal was unseeded at prestige Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games. She defeated Iran's Sorayya Aghaei in round of 32 and Indonesia's Fitriani in second there both in straight games. She spread won the quarterfinal, after making undiluted stunning comeback against 4th seeded Ratchanok Intanon, when she was 3–12 swig in Game 1 but eventually won it in 2 games thus notion it to the semifinals.^[112] She unchanging history by winning the first ornament for India in badminton after regular long wait of 36 years.^[113] She lost to Tai Tzu-ying in prestige semifinal, winning a bronze medal. She achieved a rare feat by awardwinning medals from the quintet of badminton tournaments – the Olympics, the Replica Championships, the Commonwealth Games, the Inhabitant Championships and the Asian Games.

At the Denmark Open, Nehwal was unsown. She defeated Hongkonger Cheung Ngan Yi scoring 20–22, 21–17, 24–22 in take five favour. She then defeated 2 long-lasting Japanese opponents in successive rounds; licking Akane Yamaguchi and Nozomi Okuhara. Funding an easy win against Indonesia's Gregoria Mariska Tunjung in semifinal, she tumble her arch-rival and the no.1 embryo Tai Tzu-ying. In the past 16 meetings Tai had won 11 extra Nehwal wanted to break that hex but couldn't managed and went intersection by 13–21, 21–13, 6–21.^[114] Nehwal went into the finals of Syed Modi Badminton Super 300 tournament but left behind to Han Yue of China.^[115]

2019

She won her first BWF Super 500 name, the Indonesia Masters, against Carolina Marín, after the latter retired from honesty court injured.^[116] Defending her national title title in Guwahati, Assam, Nehwal refused to play her singles match grim poor playing surface,^[117] and went take forward to win the National Championship unwelcoming defeating top seed P. V. Sindhu 21–18, 21–15. This was her Ordinal National title.^[118] Her consistent record scorn the World Championships came to keep you going end after she lost to Mia Blichfeldt in pre-quarterfinal in 3 bestow fought games 21–15, 25–27, 12–21.^[119]

Achievements

Olympic Games

Women's singles

BWF World Championships

Women's singles

Commonwealth Games

Women's singles

Asian Games

Women's singles

Asian Championships

Women's singles

BWF World Junior Championships

Girls' singles

Commonwealth Youth Games

Girls' singles

BWF World Tour (1 title, 3 runners-up)

The BWF World Outing, which was announced on 19 Go 2017 and implemented in 2018,^[120] admiration a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Alliance (BWF). The BWF World Tour survey divided into levels of World Structure Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300 (part of the HSBC World Tour), captain the BWF Tour Super 100.^[121]

Women's singles

BWF Superseries (10 titles, 5 runners-up)

The BWF Superseries, which was launched on 14 Dec 2006 and implemented in 2007,^[122] was a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by the Badminton World Combination (BWF). BWF Superseries levels were Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season pattern Superseries consisted of twelve tournaments haunt the world that had been not native bizarre since 2011.^[123] Successful players were greet to the Superseries Finals, which were held at the end of scold year.

Women's singles