It has been 10 years since Saina Nehwal burst on to the scene by winning the Phillippines Open in 2006 as a 16-year-old. The decade that has followed has seen the Indian win numerous events and create history on more than occasions.
Here’s a pictorial look at Saina’s 10-year long career:
2006 – Strong beginnings
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In 2006, Saina became the first women’s player and the youngest from Asia to win the Phillippines Open. Seeded 86th in the competition, The young tyro defeated Julia Wong Peng Jian to be crowned champion.
The same year saw the Indian finish as the runners-up at the World Junior Championships, where she lost to a player, who was to become a nemesis of hers in the future – Wang Yihan.
Titles won:
- Phillippines Open
- National Under-19 title
- Asian Satellite Championships
2007 – The lull before the storm
2007 didn't prove to be as fruitful a year for the Indian, but she made vital progress and eventually sealed a berth for her maiden Olympics in Beijing in 2008.
2008 – The breakthrough year
After missing out in 2006, Saina went one better in 2008 and won the World Junior Championships by beating Sayaka Sato in the final in straight games.
Entering into her maiden Olympics in the Chinese capital of Beijing, Saina showed little nerves on the biggest stage, becoming the first Indian women’s shuttler to enter the quarterfinals of an Olympics, where she lost a thriller to Maria Kristin Yulianti 16-28, 21-14 21-15.
Later that year, she would be the named “The Most Promising Player” and would round off the year with a semifinal finish at the World Superseries.
Titles won:
- World Junior Championships
2009 – Maiden Superseries title
After a satisfying outing at her first Olympics, Saina raised the bar further in 2009 as she made history by becoming the first Indian shuttler to win a Superseries crown, beating China’s Wang Lin in the final 12-21 21-18 21-9.
Titles won:
- Indonesia Superseries
2010 – Commonwealth Games champion
She carried forward the momentum from 2009 into 2010, reaching the semis of the All England Championships and then winning titles in Hong Kong and Singapore. However, one of her more significant moments of 2010 came for her in October, when she beat Wong Mew Choo in the Commonwealth Games Final to win the Gold for India and ensuring that they finished second in overall standings.
Titles won:
- India Open Grand Prix Gold
- Singapore Superseries
- Indonesia Superseries
2011 – Another lull phase
After enjoying three good years, Saina suffered a drop in form in 2011, where she won just the solitary competition – the Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold – defeating Sung Ji-Hyun in straight games 21-13 21-14.
Titles won
- Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold
2012 – The best season
Perhaps the best season of her career, Saina clinched as many as four titles. She retained her crown at the Swiss Open, won the Thailand Open, and regained the title at Indonesia before winning her maiden Denmark SuperSeries title.
However, in addition to these achievements, the Indian also created history by becoming the first shuttler from the country to win an Olympic medal – a bronze – in London.
Titles won:
- Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold
- Thailand Grand Prix Gold
- Indonesia Superseries Premier
- Denmark Open Superseries Premier
- London 2012 Bronze medal
2013 & 2014 – Team and Individual triumphs
As far personal achievements were concerned, Saina had little to cheer about in 2013, but she did play a part as her team Hyderabad Hunters won the inaugural Indian Badminton League title.
In 2014, she was part of the team that won the bronze at the Uber Cup and in addition, she also won three titles – the Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold, beating fellow countrywomen PV Sindhu in the final, the Australian Open Superseries crown and also the India Grand Prix Gold.
Titles won:
2013
- Indian Badminton League(2013)
2014
- Uber Cup Bronze
- Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold
- Australian Superseries
2015 – On top of the world
If there was a season apart from 2012 that can be called Saina’s best, it would be 2015. The Indian clinched the Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold, entered the finals of the All England Championships, won the India Superseries, climbed to the top of the world rankings and then reached the finals of the World Championships.
However, the latter half of the year didn’t prove to be as fruitful as injuries dented her progress, resulting in a slight slip in the rankings.
Titles won:
- Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold
- India Open Superseries
2016 – On the lookout for glory again
After enduring a tough start to the year, the Indian bounced back in fine fashion, winning her maiden title in Sydney at the Australian Open Superseries. She beat Sun Yu in a cracking three-game match, thus winning her second Australian Open crown in three years.
Titles won:
- Australian Open Superseries
