Saina carries Indian hopes in badminton

Saina had started her Olympic journey as an 18-year-old when she reached the quarterfinals at the Beijing Games. The loss suffered eight years ago to Indonesia’s Maria Kristin Yulianti spurred her to scoop the bronze at London and she will be hungry to taste gold this time when she starts her campaign in Group G, which includes lesser-known players such as Lohaynny Vicente and Maria Ulitina. 

It has been an eventful couple of years for Saina as she shifted base from Hyderabad to Bangalore in early 2014 and trained under the watchful eyes of former chief coach Vimal Kumar. She won a silver at All England and World Championship, clinched the India Open and coveted China Premier Super Series title and became the World No. 1. But an ankle injury sustained in the end phase of last year troubled her and almost derailed her Olympic campaign. 

At 26, it will be her best chance to win an Olympic gold and Saina said she is looking to “reach the peak” in that particular week. “I take each tournament as it comes. My approach to the Games is very positive and I would like to keep it like that and focus on my game. I feel that on the day that I am 100 percent fit, I have the potential to defeat anyone,” said the fifth seed who will take on Vicente in her tournament opener.