Badminton: Saina needs a travelling physio immediately : Gopichand

Saina Nehwal has the potential to be the numero uno women shuttler but the prodigal talent urgently needs a travelling physio to retain her fitness, feels national coach Pullela Gopichand.

Beijing Olympics quarter-finalist, Saina, sneaked into the elite zone of top 10 players on Thursday and immediately set herself a new target of breaking into the top five next year.

“Saina has 8-10 years of international badminton ahead. She has the potential to be on the top provided she remains injury-free and for that she urgently needs a travelling physiotherapist who can chart out a specific fitness plan for her,” Gopichand, the former All England Champion, told PTI from Cochin.

“Fitness has been her strong point till date but women badminton is very tiresome. There are long matches and you need the stamina to do well consistently,” he added.

Elated to see Saina grow as a player from strength to strength, Gopichand said the 18-year-old has always been a quick learner.

“Saina has done tremendously well. She is a quick learner and you have to be really good to be in top 10. I had the confidence in her since the beginning.”

Badminton: Saina Nehwal wins the World Junior Badminton Championship

Ace shuttler Saina Nehwal today became the first Indian to clinch the World Junior badminton Championship with a straight-game win in the finals here.
Top seed Saina got the better of her ninth seeded Japanese rival Sayaka Sato 21-9 21-18 in a lopsided match that lasted just 25 minutes.

“It is a great feeling to win it this time. The last time in 2006, I had lost in the finals but I am happy that I clinched the title this time,” Saina, who reached the quarterfinals of the Beijing Olympics, told PTI after the match.

“I never thought that I would play so well. The first game was easier but in the second game she was playing good smashed but I was successful in catching her on the nets. I played my back hands well and so overall I am satisfied with my performance. It was an okay sort of a match.

“However, I reckon my semifinals match against Chinese Shixian Wang as the toughest in the tournament,” she added.

With the Commonwealth youth gold and the World Junior badminton title in her kitty, the world number 11 has now set her eyes on China and Hong Kong Open later this month.

“I am next playing China Open and Hong Kong open this month and I am confident of doing well there as well,” the national champion said.

National coach Pullela Gopichand said Saina played like a champion all through the tournament.

“She played like a champion. It is good to see her wining convincingly through out the tournament. She has really done well, hats off to her,” Gopichand said.