World No. 2 badminton player Saina Nehwal spoke exclusively to espnstar.com after she was selected for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.
Q:What a fabulous year you have had so far. Was this all expected?
A: Well, I have always said that I work hard and leave the rest to the Almighty. The year began well for me when I made it to the semi-final in the All-England Championship. That was a great achievement for me with all top stars participating. I was a little unfortunate in front of the home crowd in Delhi during the Asian meet. The victory at Chennai boosted my confidence and I carried the same form to Singapore and Indonesia. It is never easy for anyone to win three tournaments in a row. And I am happy that my hardwork is paying dividens in winning awards too.
Q: With so many wins already in your kitty, don't you feel the pressure is difficult to handle?
A: Well it is not new to me. Each day you learn new things and each tournament - whether you win or lose - teaches you to finetune yourself. You become mentally stronger with each effort. Fortunately I have had the guidance of my favourite coach, none other than Gopichand. He has been of great help in all my efforts. Most of the credit of my success goes to him.
Q:Now the all important World Championship is just three weeks away. How is your preparation going on? Do you think a victory there will help you to become No 1?
A: I am not thinking of becoming No 1 this year. I know that I should win more tournaments to be numero uno. Three tough months are ahead of me. I am optimistic of a better show in France and my main aim will be to win Commonwealth gold in India. I am not going to leave anything for that.
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