Saina pinpoints weak defence as her biggest disadvantage

India's highest-ranked shuttler Saina Nehwal today admitted that she needs to improve her 'defence' in big games
, which has let her down before top players in international tournaments.

''I am good at the nets, but sometime I go weak in the defence which is the biggest disadvantage in my important matches with the top ranked players,'' she said.

Talking to UNI here, Saina said now her entire focus is on the upcoming New Delhi Commonwealth Games, besides other international championships, including the Olympics and the Asian Games.

The world number eight is here to compete in the Syed Modi Grand Prix tournment starting tomorrow.

''I have to work very hard to train myself, besides fighting with the injuries all the time,'' the 19-year-old said.

''Now I am training for the coming international matches, including the Commonwealth Games, and trying to rectify my weaknesses,'' Saina, who started playing badminton at the tender age of nine, added.

Appreciating the change of attitude in the masses for the game of Badminton, Saina, the Rajiv Gandhi Awardee said now people are supporting the game and big companies are also lending their support to promote the game and the players.

She was, however, peeved on the lack of players from the Northern region of the country promoted in the game.

''There should be a Badminton Academy in this part of the country akin to those in Hyderabad and Bangaluru.

''North has good talent, but their is no proper training imparted to them in the sports of badminton, tennis and table tennis,'' she pointed out.

Saina, the only Indian woman
to reach the singles quater-finals at the Olympics and the first Indian to win the World Junior Badminton Championship said due to the training schedule, she could not complete her studies and was even unable to give her 12th board due to participation in the Olympics.

Asking the young generation to join the sports, she said, ''sacrifice and hard work are the only road to success for any sportsperson.'' ''I have to leave ice-cream and chocolates to reach such spot with at least 10 hrs of rigorous training everyday,'' Saina said, advising the same to the youth for a bright future in sports.

The young sensation further said she still owes her success to her father Harvir Singh, a scientist, and mother Usha Rani, both state-level badminton players.

The Hyderabadi shuttler scripted history on June 21 last after becoming the first Indian to win a Super Series tournament after clinching the Indonesia Open with a stunning victory over higher-ranked Chinese Lin Wang in Jakarta.

She is also the top seed in the Syed Modi Grand Prix tourney.