A day after former world number one Saina Nehwal surprised everyone with her curt responses to normal queries, her first round win against Denmark's Sofie Holmboe in the India Open Super Series event in New Delhi this afternoon appeared to have erased her cageyness.
Opening up about her second wind post Rio 2016 and the injuries that plagued her in 2017, the London Olympic Bronze medallist said that her focus was first to be fitter and injury-free. She wants to focus on the big events and get the best possible results rather than play all the big tournaments in a cramped international calendar.
Slamming the calendar, Nehwal termed it “killing” and said that it most definitely required a re-look from the Badminton World Federation, the sports governing body.
She reiterated her commitment to the Indian badminton team's cause by confirming that her focus would be the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games this year as far as representing the country is concerned. It is highly unlikely that she would be available for the Asian Badminton Championships.
Head coach Pulella Gopichand appears in agreement with these plans as he indicated that as far as the top badminton players of the country went, the four most important events in 2018 would be the CWG, Asian Games, World Championship and All England Open―the last has been upgraded to a Super 1000 event alongside two others.
In an unusually emotional chat with the media post her match, she revealed that her aim was to curb her “stupid mistakes” on court and how it hurts her every time her commitment is questioned. The badminton star reached her first final after a year in a BWF Super Series event last week at the Indonesian Open where she finished second.
Excerpts:
On finalising her schedule this year...
Depending on how I feel after each and every tournament, depending on my recovery. I am coming off a lot of injuries so I want to be really careful.
You have already been a trailblazer with so many medals and achievement. Is there any particular tournament with which you are looking to fill the blanks?
You are never complete, you want to achieve more and more. I know it's never easy. You have to give your best. It's a challenge for me, my body. I am happy my coaches feel I am mentally strong so I can put in that extra effort. I am blessed with that. I want to challenge myself that's important.
I don't want to fight against opponents, but fight against myself because sometimes I play stupidly on the court (laughs) I have to be a little smarter. Just keep on learning. If I am fit enough, I can come up with more results.
How have you redesigned your training schedule?
It's not about training. It's about giving time to your body. It's really tough. This is a killing sport. It looks easy from outside that you are playing the sport, moving around... but there's a lot of sideways movement, challenging your back, legs, hip... everything goes for a toss when you play so many tough matches. I just want time and be fresh for tournaments. I don't want to hurry up, hurry up, just play.
People want me to play, be therem, but what's the point when people say I lost, Saina is out of form. That I have to face. I feel bad. I cry sometimes because it's not easy to take the pressure. It's not easy for people to understand what we go through. And I am not 20 anymore. I have to keep myself fit so that I can play for long.
See the calendar―it's a killing calendar. We still don't know how, what where, tomorrow which tournaments. It's just about time. I want time.
So you will be skipping the Asian Badminton Championships?
See, I still need time. It's not like I am not playing with India. I have played 7-8 Thomas-Uber and every time I have played I have won my matches. So I will always plan that way that I give good results in team championships and big events. Mostly, I will be looking forward to the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games which is also team event. So those are big targets for me.
H.S. Prannoy had to play with blisters on his feet. Your take on the rule which forces players to play tournaments?
I have not seen a calendar like that. It's a very tough calendar for players. I feel it should be reduced. I understand sponsorship and the point of money, but not at the condition of players when they do not do well and go there sometimes―many players might play and come off. They have to rethink it. We will not have a champion we will just have tournaments.
