A 16-year-old Saina Nehwal won the Philippines Open in 2006
2008 – The breakthrough year
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Saina at the Beijing Olympics
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After missing out in 2006, Saina went one better in 2008 and won the World Junior Championships by beating Sayaka Sato in the final in straight games.
Entering into her maiden Olympics in the Chinese capital of Beijing, Saina showed little nerves on the biggest stage, becoming the first Indian women’s shuttler to enter the quarterfinals of an Olympics, where she lost a thriller to Maria Kristin Yulianti 16-28, 21-14 21-15.
Later that year, she would be the named “The Most Promising Player” and would round off the year with a semifinal finish at the World Superseries.
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Titles won:
World Junior Championships
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About the author
Shankar
Shankar is a featured columnist for cricket at Sportskeeda. He has completed his education in B.E. (IEM) and PG Diploma in Multimedia Journalism and has a rich experience of around 7 years at various notable organizations.
Shankar enjoys the contests that cricket has to offer in various formats. His favorite teams are India and New Zealand and supports Manchester United in football. His all-time favorite cricketers are Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, and Adam Zampa, for their varied traits and skills.
Shankar covered the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup held in India, which Australia won by beating India in the final. He strives to be sensible in his reporting to deliver accurate, relevant, and ethical information.
Aside from watching cricket, he also enjoys reading and watching movies.
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