When PV Sindhu was in Rio De Janeiro creating history for the nation as she reached the final of the women’s singles badminton event at the Rio Olympics 2016, there was another Indian badminton star who was on the hospital bed in Hyderabad getting her treatment for the leg injury that had been troubling her for some time, that athlete was Saina Nehwal.
Realistically, it was Saina Nehwal who was expected to be in Sindhu’s place at the final in Rio, but the former could not get past the preliminary group stage as she lost to World No. 61 Maria Ulitina of Ukraine in straight games.
The former world number one shuttler had to undergo surgery on her right knee at a hospital in Mumbai just hours after Sindhu had won her medal. It is expected that Saina will be out of action for the Japan, Korean, Danish and French tournaments, but coach Vimal Kumar is targeting the China and Hong Kong Opens in November for Saina to make a comeback.
Kumar told mid-day, “For the next three months we are not looking at titles. She is looking at completing her rehab programme properly, get her strength back and make a comeback. The injury was unfortunate for Saina. She tried her best, but it came all of a sudden.
“The rehab programme is most crucial right now and how seriously she takes it will be very important in her comeback bid. Strength will be the key here. To get her strokes back won't take less than a week.”
Saina’s rehab programmer will continue for seven more weeks after initial two weeks of rest. It has been reported that a small portion of Saina's right kneecap was also broken and it had caused fat pad impingement, causing pain and inflammation to the shuttler.
You could also see that from Saina’s expressions in Rio that she was in pain, and it has been reported that the injury aggravated in Rio.
Kumar who is a former national coach also said that Saina did not take the injury seriously during her training for Rio and was taking painkillers. He said, “I thought she looked quite good before Rio. In the first week of August she consulted a doctor and he said it was a 'fat pad inflammation.'
“We thought a few days of rest should do. But after reaching Rio on August 7 she was in great discomfort. She thought she could take a painkiller. She was mentally prepared but the pain was really bad.”
Sports scientist and EQ trainer Shayamal Vallabhjee, who has earlier worked with Saina at the Prakash Padukone Academy has said that the shuttler will need to push herself in order to become fit again. Vallabhjee said, “The most important thing is how quickly Saina Nehwal can get to supreme fitness. She will have to trust that knee and that leg 110 per cent.
“When she goes out there she will have to trust her body in the same way she did when she was at her peak. She needs to push herself physically. She doesn't need to worry about a comeback or the World No 1 rank because she knows what it takes to go to the top.
“It is easier for her to go to No 1 than for Sindhu because Saina has walked that road. Saina should believe in the process and just needs to replicate it.”
