Need to be in top shape to face Chinese in Olympics: Saina Nehwal
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Her morale is sky-high after back-to-back titles but ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal on Tuesday said apart from being confident she would also have to be in 'top shape' physically to outwit the formidable Chinese in next month's Olympics.
Saina won the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament in Bangkok earlier this month before claiming the Indonesia Open Super Series title in Jakarta last week.
The Indian said the wins could not have come at a better time as they reinstated her hope of winning a medal in the London Games.
"I really needed to prepare hard before the Olympics and the two wins (in Bangkok and Jakarta) are a big boost for me. I am very happy to win the Indonesia Open for the third time," Nehwal said during a felicitation function organised by the Andhra Pradesh Sports Ministry at the Pullela Gopichand Academy here.
Asked abut her preparations for next month's sporting extravaganza, the world number five said, "We will have a special programme for the Olympics. It'll be a tough 4-5 weeks for me. So, it is important to be in good shape and injury free before the Olympics because the courts there will be slow."
Saina defeated world number four Shixian Wang (in quarter-finals) and world number three Xuerui Li (in final), both from China, en route to her Indonesia Open title, and the Indian exuded confidence of doing well in the London Games.
"I am happy that I did well against the Chinese in these tournaments. The Chinese are tough players and they fight for each and every point. It is not easy to beat them but a medal in the Olympics is not impossible," she said.
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