MiD DAY November 13, 2006By: Suhrid Barua
BANGALORE: The phone hasn’t stopped ringing at Saina Nehwal’s abode in Hyderabad after her final appearance at the World junior badminton championships in Incheon, South Korea, where she lost to top seed Wang Yihan of China 13-21, 9-21.Expectedly, the Nehwal ménage resembled a beehive of activity with scribes, friends, relatives and well-wishers making a beeline to gloat over India’s latest badminton prodigy.ProudAnd for Saina’s father Harvir Nehwal, it’s a moment to savour. “I feel proud today. Saina has showed that an Indian can match the best in the business.The manner in which she has clambered up the rankings this year has been simply phenomenal. She was hovering outside the top-100 at the start of the year, but to reach a ranking of 32 has been fantastic progress,” he told MiD DAY in an exclusive chat yesterday.Harvir said Saina’s impressive showing in Incheon would see a further climb in her rankings. “The next ranking list will be out on November 16 and I’m sure she would make a jump of atleast 10 rungs which would put her somewhere in the twenties,” he said.Unfair comparisonSaina matched Aparna Popat’s feat of reaching the World junior final (Aparna did it ten years back) and often comparisons are drawn between the two. Harvir, however, sees things realistically. “It’s unfair to bring out comparisons between Aparna and Saina.“Aparna has had a big influence on the game in the country with her consistent showing, while Saina has just started her career. Aparna has achieved much while Saina has just begun to find her feet on the international circuit,” he said.Make it countSaina next plays the Seniors Asian Satellite in Mumbai from November 14 to 17 and then the Asian Games in Doha from December 2.Harvir wants his daughter to make the most of the present good run. “I want Saina to maintain her same form and do well at these tournaments so that she can break into the top-100 sooner than later,” he signed off
BANGALORE: The phone hasn’t stopped ringing at Saina Nehwal’s abode in Hyderabad after her final appearance at the World junior badminton championships in Incheon, South Korea, where she lost to top seed Wang Yihan of China 13-21, 9-21.Expectedly, the Nehwal ménage resembled a beehive of activity with scribes, friends, relatives and well-wishers making a beeline to gloat over India’s latest badminton prodigy.ProudAnd for Saina’s father Harvir Nehwal, it’s a moment to savour. “I feel proud today. Saina has showed that an Indian can match the best in the business.The manner in which she has clambered up the rankings this year has been simply phenomenal. She was hovering outside the top-100 at the start of the year, but to reach a ranking of 32 has been fantastic progress,” he told MiD DAY in an exclusive chat yesterday.Harvir said Saina’s impressive showing in Incheon would see a further climb in her rankings. “The next ranking list will be out on November 16 and I’m sure she would make a jump of atleast 10 rungs which would put her somewhere in the twenties,” he said.Unfair comparisonSaina matched Aparna Popat’s feat of reaching the World junior final (Aparna did it ten years back) and often comparisons are drawn between the two. Harvir, however, sees things realistically. “It’s unfair to bring out comparisons between Aparna and Saina.“Aparna has had a big influence on the game in the country with her consistent showing, while Saina has just started her career. Aparna has achieved much while Saina has just begun to find her feet on the international circuit,” he said.Make it countSaina next plays the Seniors Asian Satellite in Mumbai from November 14 to 17 and then the Asian Games in Doha from December 2.Harvir wants his daughter to make the most of the present good run. “I want Saina to maintain her same form and do well at these tournaments so that she can break into the top-100 sooner than later,” he signed off
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