5 sportswomen making India proud
Even as women’s security continues to remain one of the most heavily debated subjects in India, female athletes across the world are giving the wome of the country plenty of reason to cheer with their many accomplishments. Saina Nehwal became the first Indian woman badminton player to top the BWF Rankings after winning the India Open, while Sania Mirza is currently ranked three on the WTA doubles circuit. Pairing up with Martina Hingis, Sania even went on to win the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. Let us now take a moment to look at five Indian women athletes carrying the expectations of India on their shoulders.
#1 Saina Nehwal (Badminton)
a feat she achieved at the London olympics in 2012.
From becoming the first Indian to win a medal in badminton at the Olympics (she won the bronze in London 2012), to ascending to the top of the BWF rankings, Saina Nehwals feats and achievements are many and glorious. Her many illustrious accomplishments have made her the flagbearer for Indian badminton.
The bronze medal that she won at the London Olympics in 2012maybe the crown jewel in her trophy cabinet, but Saina began hogging the limelight much earlier. Sainas tryst with glory began when she was a 16-year old. Seeded 86, Saina would go on topple then World Number four Xu Huawein en route to winning her maiden international title, the Phillipines Open.
Before she won the bronze at London, Saina had already rewritten history books by becoming the first Indian to enter the quarter-finals in badminton at the Olympics at Beijing in 2008.
Unfazed by the loss in the Olympics, a dtermined Saina continued to take gigantic strides in the world of badminton. In 2009, she became the first Indian to win a BWF Super Series by clinching the Indonesia Open, the accomplishment placing her alongside Prakash Padukone and her coach P Gopichand, both of whom clinched the All England Series, similar in status to a Super Series.
Throughout her career, Saina was probably the only threat to Chinas hegemony in Asian badminton.
More recently, players such as P V Sindhu and K Srikanth have succeeded in enhancing Indias reputation as a badminton powerhouse. Their many achievements notwithstanding, Saina Nehwal remains the most popular and maybe, even the most cherished badminton player in the country.