HYDERABAD:Everything was going according to plan for Saina Nehwal. She was a win away from becoming India’s first badminton world champion.
On the threshold of greatness, the 25-year-old came up against an inspired Carolina Marin in the final of the World Badminton Championship in Jakarta on Sunday. The top seed beat the No 2 21-16, 21-19 to retain the title. The Spaniard had beaten Saina in the All England final this year as well. Saina still created history by becoming the first Indian to win silver at the World Championship.
The expectations of a billion hearts came crashing down in 58 minutes as Saina failed to rise to the occasion. She just could not shake off a belligerent Marin. The enthusiastic little jump after her victory said it all. Executing plans to perfection, the 22-year-old worked relentlessly on Saina’s weaknesses, who wilted under pressure.
Slaying Chinese dragons was difficult, but Saina found Marin too tough and admitted to that fact. “Today I didn’t play my best. I could have done better. I committed too many mistakes in the first game. In the second, I took the lead, but points went by very quickly and within no time she was level. I could have been more patient. Fitness was not an issue. Finals are more mental than physical. I made one silly error in the second game during a crucial moment,” she said.
After a lacklustre display in the first game when she committed a number of errors from 7-7, Saina was 12-6 up in the second. Raising her game, Marin made it 13-12 and even though the margin was narrow, she was in command after that. Saina felt she lacked pace in that phase. “I was on the slower side. I was trying to make rallies happen but things didn’t work. When you (Marin) have experience of playing a World Championship final, it’s easier.”
Marin said she just wanted to enjoy the final. “I know she was more tired. I just wanted to enjoy the final and the crowd. I feel more happy this time compared to last year. This was more difficult. I had a foot injury last month, thought I couldn’t play. I started playing two weeks ago. I didn’t want to make mistakes when I was down in the second game. And I felt I was playing at home.”
Former international Sanjay Sharma said Marin played with a lot of energy and outsmarted Saina. “Saina lost in the net battle. Marin was devastating at the net. She literally blew away Saina and didn’t allow her to settle into any sort of rhythm. As a result, Saina struggled. She could have changed strategy but that didn’t happen. Marin was superb with cross court game and drop shots.”
The start was different as Saina took a 7-5 lead in the first game. “Looked like it would be a close game. But Marin bounced back in style as she reeled off successive points to take a stranglehold on the first game. Full of energy, she used the court very well to dominate the match and dismantled Saina, who ran out of ideas.”
Even in the second game, Sharma felt Saina was on the back foot. “It was Marin who called the shots throughout even though Saina showed a semblance of fight by taking the game to a distance before the Spanish girl emerged winner.”
Final results
Men’s singles: Chen Long (Chn, 1) bt Lee Chong Wei (Mas) 21-14, 21-17.
Men’s doubles: Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan (Ina, 3) bt Liu Xiaolong/Qiu Zihan (Chn, 9) 21-17, 21-14.
Women’s doubles: Zhao Yunlei/Tian Qing (Chn, 5) bt Christinna Pedersen/Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Den, 4) 23-25, 21-8, 21-15.
Mixed doubles: Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei (Chn, 1) bt Liu Cheng/Bao Yixin (Chn, 4) 21-17, 21-11.
2 It was only the second time a Chinese player had not featured in the women’s singles final since the Asian badminton powerhouse began competing at the world championships in 1983.
1 Saina has now won singles medals in all major badminton tournaments, except Asian Games. She has won medals in Olympics (bronze at London 2012), Asian Championships (bronze at New Delhi 2010), CWG (gold at New Delhi 2010), All England and Worlds (silver in 2015).
5 This is India’s fifth medal at the World Championship since its inception in 1977. Prakash Padukone was the first, bagging a bronze in 1983, PV Sindhu clinched bronze twice in 2013 and 2014 and Jwala Gutta-Ashwini Ponnappa notched up a bronze in women’s doubles at the 2011 edition.
saina’s Road to Silver
Bt Chinese Taipei’s Cheung Ngan Yi 21-13, 21-9
Bt Japan’s Sayaka Takahashi 21-18, 21-14
Bt Wang Yihan of China 21-15, 19-21, 21-19 (quarters)
Bt Indonesia’s Lindaweni Fanetri 21-17, 21-17 (semis)
Lost to Carolina Marin of Spain 21-16, 21-19 (final).
indian ace’s Big Results in 2015
Malaysia Open Super Series Premier - SF
India Super Series
- Winner
All England - Finallist
Worlds - Finallist
