Saina Nehwal Second Highest Earner In Women's Singles Badminton

One of the top woman Badminton players of our country Saina Nehwal is now the second highest earner in women's singles, in the first quarter of the new badminton season, with a whopping US$36,825 added to her career earnings, the PTI reported.

All England Champion Chen Yufei (USD 86,325) of China is on the top spot of the highest earnings list in women's singles, while Chinese Taipei's world no 1 Tai Tzu Ying ranks third with an earning of USD 36,100.

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The London Olympics bronze medallist became the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games medal in the women’s singles in badminton last year. With this win, Saina ended India’s 36-year drought of winning a medal in the individual singles event at the continental tournament. The last time an Indian brought glory in a singles medal at the Asian Games was Syed Modi in men’s singles at the 1982 Games.

Saina’s overall performance in recent times has been improving after her knee surgery. The 28-year-old who hails from Hyderabad, was the winner of the Indonesia Masters, made it to the semifinals of Malaysia Masters and a quarterfinalist at All England Championship.

Continuing her winning streak from the Commonwealth Games, Saina Nehwal shone again at the Badminton Asia Championship in April last year when she won a bronze in the women’s singles semifinals. That was for the third time that Saina has ensured a bronze medal for India at the Asian tournament. She had clinched her second gold medal at the Commonwealth Games earlier the same year. Saina also received the Youth Icon award at the inaugural TOISA in 2015.

Last year, Saina lost to Carolina Marin in the quarters’ fight of the BWF Badminton World Championships, but what is noteworthy is that she became the first woman to reach the quarterfinals of the championship for eight consecutive times.

Talking to Indian Express about her performance, Saina said, “Pressure is less on me now because the last few tournaments I haven’t been able to cross the quarterfinals but I have played well at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Championship. But I can see that the form sometimes goes here and there but I am happy it is coming back in important events.”

Meanwhile, Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu, is still coping after crashed out in the opening round of the USD 1,000,000 All England Championship, and will hope to improve her standing with a title win in the ongoing USD 350,000 India Open and grab the prize money of USD 24,500.

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Let’s hear a loud cheer for Saina!

Picture Credit: Sportskeeda.com

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