NEW DELHI: Star Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal said hereWednesday that the 2012 season has been the best year of her career.
"I think this has been my best year so far. I won fourtournaments to add to the Olympic medal which I won in London," saidSaina, who released her autobiography "Playing to Win" in thecapital.
This year, the World No.3 won the Indonesia Open SuperSeries Premier, Denmark Open Super Series Premier, Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold,and the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold to add to the bronze medal she won at theLondon Olympics in August.
Cricketer Yuvraj Singh released the book.
"I am thankful to Yuvraj for coming here and releasingmy book today. This book is about my journey since I was nine, till now. It isabout the life of a disciplined sportsperson, about how I got here and what allsacrifices me and my parents had to make, how I practiced eight hours a day toget where I am today," the 22-year-old said.
Saina also revealed that in the coming years she would liketo come up with her own badminton academies.
"I would like to give something back to the game. TheHaryana and Karnataka governments have already approached me regarding havingcoaching academies. I don't think we need another one in my home state asAndhra Pradesh already has a world class academy."
Asked whether she would compete in the India Open Grand PrixGold in Lucknow in December, she said she was not sure, and it wasn't herpriority either.
"I am not sure at the moment. It depends whether I amfit or not. My full concentration is on the year ending Super Series Finals tobe held in China where I lost the final last year," said Saina, who wonthe Lucknow event in 2009 and 2010.
Saina also revealed that she had viral before the OlympicGames and was on antibiotics during the event where she earned India's firstmedal in badminton.
"A lot of people may not know this but one week beforethe Olympics I had fever and I was contemplating whether I should play theevent or not. For one week I hardly practiced and I was on antibiotics duringthe Games which probably lowered my stamina. But it was probably god's wishthat I win the medal," said Saina, who has won 40 of her 49 matches thisyear.
On current form she said, "I am gettingbetter. I am playing without taping my knee or the ankle these days and I ammoving well."