The year 2010 has been quite a historic one for Saina Nehwal. Starting with the three back-to-back titles (India Open, Singapore Open and Indonesian Open), her elevation to No 2 in world rankings.
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| Saina Nehwal celebrates a point. Pic/AFP |
The year 2010 has been quite a historic one for Saina Nehwal. Starting with the three back-to-back titles (India Open, Singapore Open and Indonesian Open), her elevation to No 2 in world rankings. Yesterday, she became the first Indian woman to win the singles gold in the Commonwealth Games. Legendary Prakash Padukone (1978) and the late Syed Modi (1982) were the two men players to win the singles gold at the Games.
The Hyderabadi emerged victorious against Malaysia's Mew Choo Wong 19-21, 23-21, 21-13 in an edge-of-the-seat thriller yesterday to take India's gold count to 38 and snatch the second spot from England at the Games.
Twenty-year-old Saina was hot favourite to clinch gold here and she lived up to her top billing under extreme pressure. "There was so much pressure on me with everyone talking only about the gold medal. I am happy to have lived up to the expectations. It was a huge test of my confidence and stamina," she added.
Now, new challenges await here. "I look forward now to play in the Asian Games where of course, the opposition will be really world class."
