Badminton semi-final preview: It's Saina vs China!

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 02: Saina Nehwal of India returns against Tine Baun of Denmark in their Women?s Singles Badminton quarter final on day 6 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Wembley Arena on August 2, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Lengthy practice sessions; maintaining physical and mental fitness; the dreams, rather hopes, of a billion and it has all boiled down to just one competition – Saina vs China.

Yes, Saina is the only non-Chinese shuttler in the semifinals of the women’s badminton singles event at London 2012. And does she face any pressure? Oh boy, she does! A nation with a single medal on the leader board,  now wants her to put her heart and soul in what would be the most important match of her career. Against whom? The World No. 1- Wang Yihan. Where?   At the Wembley Arena. When?At 1.30 P.M. IST.

What does the Stats guru say?

Well Saina has faced Wang Yihan five times in her career and lost every match. The silver lining in the cloud, however, is that she has managed to stretch her to three games in three in her last five meetings.

Can she win?

Why not? Saina has been in top form throughout the Olympics, thrashing all her opponents in straight games, she is yet to lose a game. The 21-15, 22-20 bout against fifth seed Tine Baun, she saved three game points to clinch the second game 22-20.

What does she have to do?

The ‘Great Neh-Wall of India’ has to break the ‘Great Wall of China’. On a more professional note, she has to stay focused, forget about the last five loses, and be  wary of the ‘Wang attack’. If she succumbs to the pressure, which of course, the Indian media have built as they do better than any one else in the business, it’ll all be over. She just has to forget everything and put her best foot forward.