Saina Nehwal said her triumph on Sunday was like a dream come true for her as it happened in the powerhouse of badminton — China.
The 24-year-old said that Srikanth and she winning the singles titles in the China Open was some sort of a record that should stay with India for a long, long time to come.
The champion shuttler attributed her victory to lot of hard work. “This is really the best win after my Olympic medal. A great day in my career and winning in front of Chinese crowd is so special,” she remarked.
“After the loss in the World Cup, there was lot of intensity in my preparations under Vimal Sir. There are lots of areas of focus, some minor corrections made in my game by him. I am glad that all the training came good and I could translate all that into a consistent performance in China,” Saina explained.
Reflecting on whether it was some sort of revenge for the Olympic gold medallist Lie Xuerui remarks hat Saina should first think of beating other Chinese players before taking on her in a major event, the Indian preferred to play it down. “She is a great player and has every right to express her opinion. My job is to focus on my game and I will continue to do so as the ultimate dream remains to win the Olympic gold.”
Sure to win
Asked about her mood before the final, she said: “I was sure to win the title. I was in high spirits. The confidence was on a high and I was aware that this was the biggest opportunity to win the title in China Open in my sixth attempt.
“For me right now, the focus shifts to Hong Kong Super Series and the Masters Super Series in Dubai later this year. I want to finish on a high.”
Srikanth reminded that his win against Lin Dan was the biggest of his career. “This is an unforgettable day in my career. It is not very often that many have had the privilege of beating such a great player.
“I owe this win to my coach Pullela Gopi Chand and this is the birthday gift I could present him,” said Srikanth during his brief interaction after his sensational win.
