What's the news?One of the biggest drawbacks of permanent media scrutiny and this instant-gratification age is the short length of people’s memories. Saina Nehwal, still India’s greatest ever female badminton player, was a victim of the same during the year 2016, which saw PV Sindhu being crowned as the undisputed queen of the sport in the country after winning the silver medal at the Rio Olympics.However, Saina personifies longevity and class in the game, something that can be seen from the fact that she is just three tournament wins away from being the first ever female singles player to win 11 Grand Prix Gold titles.
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Currently she is second on the list of highest Grand Prix Gold winners, behind South Korean Ji Hyun-sung, who has won 10 Grand Prix Gold titles. PV Sindhu, another Indian on the list, has won five titles.
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Saina Nehwal defeated Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong in the final of 2017 Malaysian Masters 22-20 22-20 to claim her 8th Grand Prix Gold title. This was Saina’s first major tournament, after injury, where she played at almost full fitness and the results are there for everyone to see. The win in the final did not come easy for Saina Nehwal, who was stretched by her opponent from Thailand and made to work for every point.
The Indian star had a decent run in the 2017 Premier Badminton League, in which she played for the Awadhe Warriors. Although she was nowhere near her best, PBL 2017 proved to be a good exercise for her in terms of gaining match fitness.
The heart of the matter
Saina Nehwal suffered from a serious injury in 2016 and it almost ended her career but things are looking really bright for the 26-year-old with this win. She is currently ranked number 10 in the world but that could soon be a thing of the past if she continues to play well like this.
“In four months from knee surgery to the title it was very tough and emotional journey for me,” Saina told PTI after her final against Chochuwong.
Sportskeeda’s take
Making a comeback from an injury is not easy for anyone, including and especially for a top player like Saina Nehwal, but the Indian has done a commendable job. Her career was on the verge of ending but Saina, known for her grit and guts, is well and truly back in the mix.
