India's top shuttler -- Saina Nehwal – may have won a number of titles in the past, but her performance in the World Championship does not talk highly about the world number two. Saina Nehwal has never progressed beyond the quarter final stage, and hence the shuttler will be eager to improve her performance and go all the way in the World badminton Championship in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The competition, which starts on 10 August, is one of the biggest tournaments of the year as the winner of the World badminton Championship will be termed 'world champion'. Saina Nehwal, who hopes to be fit before the mega competition, is busy preparing for the tournament.
"There is some pain in the shoulder. I hope to be fit before the tournament," PTI quoted Saina Nehwal as saying.
Nehwal was said to have suffered shoulder pain earlier in March and the shuttler has been playing tournaments with some niggling pain as well, which reflects her ambition to succeed.
It is this hunger to win, which has helped her become one of the most respected players in the badminton circuit.
Nehwal has been seeded second in the World badminton Championship, while Spaniard Carolina Marin is the top seed.
Nehwal is not expected to have an easy tournament with players such as Sayaka Takahashi and Wang Yihan in the same half of the draw. If she is to improve her record in the competition, she should be able to defeat such high profiled players.
Nehwal believes that the daw is quite tough.
"The draw is really tough with Sayaka Takahashi and Wang Yihan both in my half. They are very strong players, so let us see how it will be for me in this tournament. I hope I do well this time," she said.
The competition is expected to be of top notch quality and with non-Chinese players gradually coming up the ranks such as Marin and Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon. Saina Nehwal has to be on top of her game to emerge victorious.
"Competition has opened up a lot with Carolina (Marin) and (Intanon) Ratchanok. All the Chinese and Japanese players are also playing extremely well, so it has become more challenging with everyone playing extremely well in women singles," added Nehwal.
India not only hopes for a medal from Saina Nehwal, but also Kidambi Srikanth, who has been seeded third in the men's singles.
