Saina Nehwal - badminton singles player

Saina Nehwal, born 17 March 1990) is an Indian professional badminton singles player. A former world no. 1, she has won over 24 international titles, which includes eleven Superseries titles. Although she reached the world's 2nd in the 2009, it was only in 2015 that she was able to attain the world no. 1 ranking, thereby becoming the only female player from India and overall the second Indian player – after Prakash Padukone – to achieve this feat. She has represented India three times in the Olympics, winning a bronze medal in her second appearance.

Nehwal has achieved several milestones in badminton for India. She is the only Indian to have won at least one medal in every BWF major individual event, namely the Olympics, the BWF World Championships, and the BWF World Junior Championships. She is the first Indian badminton player to have won an Olympic medal, the first Indian to have reached the final of the BWF World Championships, along with being the only Indian to have won the BWF World Junior Championships or. In 2006, Nehwal became the first Indian female and the youngest Asian to win a 4-star tournament. She also has the distinction of being the first Indian to win a Super Series title. In the 2014 Uber Cup, she captained the Indian team and remained undefeated, helping India to win bronze medal. It was India's first medal in any BWF major team event. Nehwal became the first Indian to win two singles gold medals (2010 and 2018) in Commonwealth Games.

Considered one of the most successful Indian sportspersons, she is credited for increasing the popularity of badminton in India. In 2016, the Government of India (GoI) conferred the Padma Bhushan – India's third highest civilian award – on her. Previously, the nation's top two sporting honours, namely the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and the Arjuna Award, were also conferred on her by the Government of India. Nehwal is a philanthropist and was ranked 18th on the list of most charitable athletes.

 Personal life

Saina Nehwal, the daughter of Harvir Singh Nehwal and Usha Rani Nehwal, was born in Hisar. She has only one sibling, an elder sister named Chandranshu Nehwal. Her father, who has a PhD in agricultural science, worked at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University. She completed her first few years of schooling at Campus School CCS HAU, Hisar. She finished 12th grade from St. Ann's College for Women at Mehdipatnam, Hyderabad.

When her father was promoted and transferred from Haryana to Hyderabad, she took up badminton at the age of eight to express herself as she did not know the local language well enough to socialise with other kids. Her parents played badminton for a number of years. Her mother, Usha Rani, was a state level badminton player in Haryana. Nehwal took up badminton to fulfill her mother's dream of becoming a national level badminton player, while her sister played volleyball. Her father, who was among the top players in the university circuit, used his provident fund to invest in good badminton training for her. Nehwal also has a brown belt in karate.

She and her family still speak the Haryanvi language at home. She is a fan of Shah Rukh Khan and Prabhas. She is in the process of opening a badminton academy in her native state of Haryana.
She married fellow badminton player, Parupalli Kashyap in a private ceremony on 14 December 2018.

 Career

In 2006, Nehwal became the under-19 national champion and created history by winning the "Asian Satellite Badminton tournament" (India Chapter) twice, becoming the first player to do so. In May 2006, at age 16, she became the first Indian woman and the youngest player from Asia to win a 4-star tournament – the Philippines Open. Entering the tournament as the 86th seed, she went on to stun several top seeded players including the then world number four Xu Huaiwen before defeating Julia Wong Pei Xian of Malaysia for the title. The same year Nehwal was also the runner up at the 2006 BWF World Junior Championships, where she lost a hard-fought match against top seed Chinese Wang Yihan. She did one better in the 2008 by becoming the first Indian to win the World Junior Badminton Championships by defeating ninth seeded Japanese Sayaka Sato 21–9, 21–18.

She became the first Indian woman to reach the quarter finals at the Olympic Games when she upset world number five and fourth seed Wang Chen of Hong Kong in a three-game thriller. In the quarter-finals Nehwal lost a 3-gamer to world number 16 Maria Kristin Yulianti. Saina was leading 11–3 in the decider but couldn't hold on against her opponent and lost the match with 28–26, 14–21, 15–21 scoreline.

In September 2008, she won the Yonex Chinese Taipei Open 2008 beating Lydia Cheah Li Ya of Malaysia 21–8 21–19. Maria Yulianti had earlier lost her quarter-final match to Pia Bernadet, Nehwal's semi-final opponent, thus denying Nehwal a rematch. Nehwal was named "The Most Promising Player" in 2008. She reached the world super series semifinals in the month of December 2008.

In June 2009, she became the first Indian to win a BWF Super Series title, the most prominent badminton series of the world by winning the Indonesia Open. She beat Chinese Wang Lin in the final 12–21, 21–18, 21–9. Nehwal on winning the tournament said, "I had been longing to win a super series tournament since my quarter final appearance at the Olympics". She is on a par with the likes of Prakash Padukone and her mentor Pullela Gopichand who both won the all England championships which are of similar status to the super series. In August 2009, she reached to the quarterfinals of the World Championships, losing to the second seed Wang Lin.

Nehwal successfully led the Indian Women's Team to the Quarter-finals stage of the 2010 Uber Cup finals. She became the first Indian woman to reach the semi finals of 2010 All-England Super Series before losing to eventual champion Tine Rasmussen. Top seeded Nehwal reached the semifinals of Yonex Sunrise Badminton Asia Championships 2010, losing out to unseeded eventual champion Li Xuerui of China. Her coach Gopichand advised her not exert too much pressure on herself due to the overwhelming home crowd support.

Nehwal won the 2010 India Open Grand Prix Gold, beating Wong Mew Choo of Malaysia in the final and thus justifying her billing as top seed in the tournament. She won a prize of $8,280 for winning this BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament. Nehwal, again seeded no.1 in the Singapore Open Super Series 2010, entered the finals defeating World champion Lu Lan of China. Nehwal won the second Super Series title of her career by beating qualifier Tai Tzu-Ying of Chinese Taipei in the final of the Singapore Open 21–18, 21–15. But the fact that she won the tournament in the absence of all the top 5 ranked players took a little sheen away from her path breaking victory. She won a prize of $15,000 for winning this BWF Super Series tournament. Nehwal reached a career high of world no. 3 in the women's singles badminton world rankings on 24 June 2010.
 
She defended her Indonesia Open super series title in three tough games against Sayaka Sato of Japan, 21–19, 13–21, 21–11. This was her third super series title and her third successive title following wins at Indian open, Singapore Super series. She again won the top prize of $18,750 for winning this BWF Super Series tournament. On 15 July 2010, with 64791.26 points, Nehwal reached a career high world ranking of No. 2 only behind Wang Yihan of China. 2nd seed Nehwal, a tournament favourite, crashed out of the 2010 BWF World Championships in Paris after losing to 4th ranked Chinese Wang Shixian in straight sets 8–21, 14–21. She equalled her tournament best performance, as she was also a losing quarter-finalist in the last edition held in Hyderabad. She subsequently dropped a spot to be No. 3 in the world rankings.

Top seed Nehwal won the gold medal in the Women's Singles badminton event in the 2010 Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi. She beat Wong Mew Choo of Malaysia 19–21 23–21 21–13. After her win Nehwal said, "when I was a match-point down, it was like a shock. It was a big match and winning it means a lot to me. Even many years from now, those present here will always remember how Saina won the gold. It is a proud feeling". In the BWF Super Series ranking for the year 2010 (which only considers the performances of players in the elite world super series tournaments), as on 27 September 2010, Nehwal dropped to No. 7 from a high of No. 1 after giving a miss to 2010 China Masters Super Series and 2010 Japan Super Series due to her preparation for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. As on 5 December 2010, for the first time in the year Nehwal dropped out of the top 10 best performers in the 2010 BWF Super Series rankings.

Nehwal confirmed her participation for the 2010 Hong Kong Super series to held from 7 to 12 December 2010, the penultimate super series tournament of the year. This would be her first super series tournament after a gap of more than five months since her win in the 2010 Indonesia Super Series in June 2010. On 12 December 2010, she defeated Wang Shixian 15–21, 21–16, 21–17 in the final of the 2010 Hong Kong Super Series to win her fourth career Super Series title.

Fourth-seed Nehwal crashed out of the 2011 Korea Open Super Series Premier on 27 January 2011 in the second round. She was defeated by the Japanese Sayaka Sato in a tight three-set match with score 17–21, 21–19 and 21–11. Fifth-seed Nehwal was disappointed when she was defeated by Eriko Hirose of Japan at 2011 All England Super Series Premier on 11 March 2011. She was defeated in straight sets with a score of 21–11 and 22–20. It was her second early exit of the year after being defeated in Korean Premium Super Series earlier in January. One week later, on 17 March 2011, she met Eriko Hirose again (in the second round of the Wilson Badminton Swiss Open), but managed to win this time in three games 21–15, 17–21 and 21–11 – on her birthday. 2nd seed Nehwal beat Ji Hyun Sung of South Korea 21–13, 21–14 to win the Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold badminton title on 20 March 2011. Nehwal posed an early exit from the Indian Open Super Series in Delhi.She disappointed the home crowd being defeated by Ai Goto of Japan in straight games.

 Nehwal faltered after a good start as she lost to the then world number three Wang Xin of China in the finals to finish runner-up in the 2011 Malaysian Open Grand Prix Gold tournament on 8 May 2011. Nehwal participated in the 2011 BWF Double Star Sudirman Cup mixed team event. She won her first match against Tzu Ying Tai of Chinese Taipei which was a tough three setter 21–10, 12–21 21–17, but India lost the tie 3–2. She was then shocked in her second match by current Junior World Champion and 16-year-old teen sensation Ratchanok Inthanon of Thailand losing in straight sets 21–14, 22–20, but India managed to beat Thailand 3–2 in the tie to book a spot in the quarterfinals of the elite mixed team event for the first time in the history of the tournament. In the quarterfinals against the mighty Chinese, Nehwal put up her best performance and beat the then world number two Xin Wang in straight sets 21–15, 21–11, but still the Chinese managed to move into the semi finals with a 3–1 win over India. Nehwal lost to Li Xuerui of China in the quarterfinals of the Thailand Open GP Gold.

Defending champion Nehwal lost to Cheng Shao-chieh of Chinese Taipei in the second round of Singapore Open Super Series. Nehwal, in her attempt to record a third straight win at the Indonesia Open Super Series Premier, reached the finals where she lost to Wang Yihan of China to finish as runner-up, on 26 June. Nehwal crashed out of the World Championship 2011 as she lost 15–21, 10–21 to World Number 3 Wang Xin of China in a lop-sided women's singles match. Nehwal, who reached the quarterfinals in the last two editions of the event, had to be content with yet another last-eight finish. She lost in the quarter finals of 2011 China Masters Super Series against World No. 1 Wang Yihan of China in straight games, 8–21, 12–21. Nehwal lost in the semi finals of 2011 Japan Super Series against Juliane Schenk of Germany in straight games 19–21, 10–21. In the 2011 Denmark Super Series Premier, she lost to 17-year-old teen Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan in straight games 19–21, 13–21 in the second round. Nehwal repeated her second-round exit in the 2011 French Super Series as she lost to World No. 16 Li Xuerui of China in straight games 18–21, 29–30. Nehwal lost in quarter finals of 2011 Hong Kong Super Series against World No. 7 Tine Baun of Denmark in straight games 16–21, 15–21.

Nehwal was defeated in the first round of the 2011 China Open Super Series Premier by World No. 8 Bae Youn-joo of South Korea 21–15, 22–24, 15–21. During the season ending tournament in December, Nehwal created history by becoming the first Indian singles player to reach the final of the BWF Super Series Masters Finals after defeating World No. 5 Tine Baun of Denmark to cruise 21–17, 21–18 in the semifinals of the 2011 BWF Super Series Masters Finals in Liuzhou (China). She went on to lose the final 21–18, 13–21, 13–21 against the World No. 1 Chinese Wang Yihan in a contest lasting over an hour.

Nehwal successfully did her Swiss Open Title by defeating World No 2 Wang Shixian of China 21–19 21–16 on 18 March 2012, a day after she turned 22 years old. On 10 June 2012, she defeated Thailand's Ratchanok Inthanon 19–21 21–15 21–10, to lift the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold title.
 
On 17 June 2012, Nehwal won the Indonesia Open Super Series by defeating World No. 3 Li Xuerui of China 13–21, 22–20 21–19. It was her third Indonesia Open title. On 4 August 2012, she won the bronze medal at the London Olympics when China's Wang Xin retired from the match after an injury with the match at 18–21, 0–1. On 21 October 2012, she won the Denmark Open Super Series Premier after defeating Wang Yihan 21–12 12–7 in the semifinal. Yihan retired, hurt, in this match after losing the first set and trailing in the second. In the final Nehwal defeated Juliane Schenk of Germany in two straight sets to lift her first Denmark open trophy. Nehwal successfully entered the finals of 2012 French Open super series, but she lost against Minatsu Mitani in straight sets.

Nehwal successfully did her Swiss Open Title by defeating World No 2 Wang Shixian of China 21–19 21–16 on 18 March 2012, a day after she turned 22 years old. On 10 June 2012, she defeated Thailand's Ratchanok Inthanon 19–21 21–15 21–10, to lift the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold title.
 
On 17 June 2012, Nehwal won the Indonesia Open Super Series by defeating World No. 3 Li Xuerui of China 13–21, 22–20 21–19. It was her third Indonesia Open title. On 4 August 2012, she won the bronze medal at the London Olympics when China's Wang Xin retired from the match after an injury with the match at 18–21, 0–1. On 21 October 2012, she won the Denmark Open Super Series Premier after defeating Wang Yihan 21–12 12–7 in the semifinal. Yihan retired, hurt, in this match after losing the first set and trailing in the second. In the final Nehwal defeated Juliane Schenk of Germany in two straight sets to lift her first Denmark open trophy. Nehwal successfully entered the finals of 2012 French Open super series, but she lost against Minatsu Mitani in straight sets.

Politics

Nehwal joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in Delhi on 29 January 2020 in the presence of party's national general secretary Arun Singh. Her sister Abu Chandranshu Nehwal also joined the party. She also quoted that "Narendra Modi is working hard for the country, and has always inspired me."

Awards

• Most Promising Player of the Year (2008) award by Badminton World Federation
• Arjuna Award (2009)
• Padma Shri (2010)
• Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2009–2010)
• Padma Bhushan (2016)

      For the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics

• ₹10 million (US$140,000) cash award from the Haryana Government
• ₹5 million (US$70,000) cash award from the Rajasthan Government
• ₹5 million (US$70,000) cash award from the Andhra Pradesh Government
• ₹1 million (US$14,000) cash award from the Badminton Association of India
• Honorary doctorate degree by Mangalayatan University
• Honorary doctorate degree by SRM Institute of Science and Technology