With a hat-trick of international titles and a career-best world ranking of number three, ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal has already achieved the targets that she had set for 2010, a jubilant national coach Pullela Gopichand said on Sunday.
“We had set a target of reaching into top five by this year end. She has achieved this within six months,” Gopichand, who has mentored Saina through her career, told PTI .
Gopichand, only the second Indian to win the All England badminton championship, though insisted that his ward was not chasing the number one ranking and has set her sights on major international tournaments for 2010.
“We have three major tournaments lined up this year — Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championship. Our aim is concentrate on these tournaments. So the number one ranking comes next,” Gopichand said.
Saina today defeated Japan’s Sayaki Sato 21-19 13-21 21-11 in the summit clash of the Indonesia Open to complete a hat-trick of international titles.
“It was possible for Saina because of the great performance she has shown.”
Saina’s father Harvir Singh said his daughter has made the country proud.
“This is really a fantastic win for Saina and the country. We were nervous in the second game. I know she had the determination. She made us and the country proud,” Harvir Singh Nehwal said.
