Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
India

Saina Nehwal Makes History, Becomes 1st Indian Woman To Become World No. 1 In Badminton

Darpan News Desk IANS, 28 Mar, 2015 03:35 PM
    After being assured of the World No.1 spot, Olympic bronze medal winning shuttler Saina Nehwal said on Saturday that she can't believe she has reached the summit.
     
    "It is still unbelievable. Let me pinch myself! It will probably sink in only when I see my name on the top of the ranking list," an overjoyed Saina said here.
     
    Come Thursday when Badminton World Federation (BWF) revises its rankings, the Hyderabadi will become the first Indian woman to be ranked No.1.
     
    Following Carolina Marin's semifinal loss in the $275,000 India Open Superseries at the Siri Fort Sports Complex on Saturday, Saina's way became clear to notch the top spot.
     
    "I have been in the top-five for the last seven years and thrice I became No.2. I used to keep seeing Li Xuerui's name on the top for almost one and half years. I can finally see my name there now," said Saina, who turned 25 on March 17.
     
    Spain's Carolina and Saina were in the race to grab the coveted position in the absence of China's reigning Olympic champion Li Xuerui. It is only a formality for Saina, who will overtake Xuerui to become the first non-Chinese woman to be No.1 since December 2010 when Denmark's Tine Baun was the top ranked shuttler.
     
    "I have taken some hard decisions to get here. I kept losing to top players all the time, in fact after last year's World Championship, I even thought of quitting badminton. It was a very dark time in my career. People were saying 'Saina, your career is finished'," said the Hyderabadi.
     
    "I then moved to Bangalore and my coach Vimal Kumar set a target of May this year to reach the No.1 rank. I did it in March itself!"
     
    The women's singles top seed unsurprisingly also made it into her maiden India Open final by defeating Japan's Yui Hashimoto in a last four clash.
     
    "I have never reached the finals of India Open before so this is a great moment for me here also. I always wanted to do well but somehow I missed reaching the finals here. It is the first time for me so I am excited," said Saina.
     
    Saina ended India's 35-year long wait for a No.1 player in the sport. Legendary Prakash Padukone had gained the men's singles No.1 ranking in 1980.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    Horrific Rape Of A Mentally-Challenged Woman In Rohtak Shocks India

    Horrific Rape Of A Mentally-Challenged Woman In Rohtak Shocks India
    Protests erupted in Haryana's Rohtak town Sunday after details emerged of the barbaric manner in which a mentally-challenged Nepali woman was raped and murdered and how Haryana Police and the state government failed to show any action being taken.

    Horrific Rape Of A Mentally-Challenged Woman In Rohtak Shocks India

    Man Burnt Alive As Car Catches Fire After Collision In Delhi

    Man Burnt Alive As Car Catches Fire After Collision In Delhi
    A 32-year-old man was burnt alive inside his car which caught fire after ramming into another car, police said Sunday.

    Man Burnt Alive As Car Catches Fire After Collision In Delhi

    AAP Confident, BJP Hopeful, Congress Despondent Post Election

    AAP Confident, BJP Hopeful, Congress Despondent Post Election
    A day after exit polls predicted an AAP win in Delhi, its visibly relaxed leader Arvind Kejriwal Sunday watched a Hindi movie as the BJP insisted it was still confident of winning the election with wider national ramifications.

    AAP Confident, BJP Hopeful, Congress Despondent Post Election

    Modi Asks States To Work In Tandem With Centre

    Modi Asks States To Work In Tandem With Centre
    Emphasising on the need to empower the states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday called upon states to forge a model of "cooperative federalism" to resolve differences even as he flagged poverty as India's biggest challenge.

    Modi Asks States To Work In Tandem With Centre

    Manjhi meets Modi, rules out quitting; Nitish to parade MLAs

    Manjhi meets Modi, rules out quitting; Nitish to parade MLAs
    The crisis in Bihar's ruling JD-U deepened further Sunday, as a defiant Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi asserted he will not resign, while the rival camp led by Nitish Kumar decided to parade legislators at Raj Bhavan Monday and stake claim to power.

    Manjhi meets Modi, rules out quitting; Nitish to parade MLAs

    Invisible Planes Next On India's Defence Research Organisation's Radar, Thanks To Sage Bharadwaj

    Invisible Planes Next On India's Defence Research Organisation's Radar, Thanks To Sage Bharadwaj
    India's premier defence research organisation DRDO is open to co-developing a technology promoted by an Indian scientist who claims he can make planes invisible using pre-Mahabharata sage Bharadwaj's formulae

    Invisible Planes Next On India's Defence Research Organisation's Radar, Thanks To Sage Bharadwaj