Saina says she always knew she would win medal

Returning to India after winning a bronze medal at the Olympics, Saina Nehwal said that she had always been confident of winning a medal at the London Olympics and her victory would only mean that she would work harder to ensure that she won more medals and titles for India. “When I went to tournament I was feeling very good and I told Dad that this time I will win a medal. I am really happy that I am back with a medal and achieved whatever I said. I am happy that I did what I believed in,” Nehwal told reporters at a press conference in Hyderabad today. [caption id=“attachment_408951” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  PTI[/caption] Nehwal admitted that her receiving the medal because of her opponent retiring hurt was not ideal, but even before her opponent retired from the game, she was confident of winning the game. “Of course it’s sad that she fell down but I was very confident that I was coming back strong. I could see her slipping and asking for water every two points… I have never won a match like this in my career and in the Olympics, it was not something I expected,” she said. However, after being declared the winner of the match it took some time to sink in and Nehwal said she realised she had won the bronze medal only when journalists at the venue began congratulating her. She admitted that her loss to China’s Wang Yihan in the semi finals was due to a fault in her strategy. “I think my strategy was a little off that day. Next time I’ll figure it out better. She is world number one but we’ll work hard to overcome her,” she said. Nehwal said she had been heartbroken after the loss but her coach Pullela Gopichand had motivated her to focus on the match for third place. “Gopi sir told me to forget this match and that you have a chance to win a medal for India. I didn’t want to watch the video of the match and he made me watch it,” she said. Gopichand said he had promised Nehwal, whom he has been coaching since she was a teenager, that he would ensure she would win an Olympic medal when she began talking about quitting badminton after losing a tournament. “I was shocked because she was weeping and I was crying as well. I then promised her that we would win a Olympic medal,” he said. The former badminton player said he had put his social life on hold while preparing for the Olympics with Nehwal. “I didn’t attend any functions also and I believe all of it has paid of and the medal we see is a result of all the hardwork we have put in,” Gopichand said. “I am really fortunate as a player who didn’t win it in his playing time but won it in his lifetime,” he said. The victory at the Olympics could also further badminton in the nation and by the next Olympics it could improve India’s chances of winning more medals in the sport. “Badminton has grown so much in the last four, five years… every year badminton is improving and there is every chance of the team getting stronger by the next Olympics,” she said.