Saina Nehwal has what it takes to achieve no. 1 status in Badminton globally writes iSporter and ace sports psychologist Dr. Chaitanya Sridhar.
"Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them- a desire, a dream, a vision." ~ Muhammad Ali
The above quote aptly describes Saina Nehwal- the Badminton sensation in a nutshell.
Undoubtedly, it’s been an epic journey for the 20 year old Hyderabadi girl who recently shot to the Number 2 spot. It’s been a "Super" month for Saina Nehwal. Fifteen wins in a row and she is hungry for more.
How did this young girl achieve such a feat when others her age are still thinking of clothes, fun and parties? She did this by choosing a different route or in the words of the famous poet Robert Frost she ‘chose the road less traveled!' Of course, it’s not been an easy journey but that probably makes victory sweeter.
The question that comes to mind with Saina’s achievement is ‘What sets apart a top class player’? The sheer will power, commitment and passion that she exhales place her in that league. This is best explained in the following quote by Saina, “I have always been a disciplined sportsperson. I am focused. I cannot stay away from the badminton court for a single day! “I train for eight hours a day, since the past nine years. And no, that is not much – the Chinese train for 14 hours a day – which means that I have a lot of catching up to do”.
One cannot over emphasize the importance of ‘discipline’, especially in sports. Leander Paes attributed his success to discipline, and so do many other players. During her early days, Saina had to travel 25 kms to the training venue but that did not deter her and one can see what she has accomplished. It is not an easy job to follow the same routine day after day and year after year. It takes a lot to train zealously for a number of years and results in terms of performance don’t happen over-night. It may take a good number of years to see the results. How does one stay on track?
This is where ‘vision or goal’ plays such an important role. At the start of the season, Saina’s target was to ‘break into the top-5’. With her commitment and focus she’s triumphed to the Number 2 spot. Also, not only did Saina set achievable and realistic goals, but she also had tremendous ‘self-belief’. No matter how much a player trains, it is imperative to believe he/she can succeed. Prakash Padukone says Saina triumphed because she has the ‘recognition of winnability’ which is the ability to nail a match despite all the odds - of fatigue, court conditions, crowd behaviour, pressure, and one’s own expectations.
The Number 2 spot hasn’t stopped Saina from setting further goals. She says, “Now, I’m obsessed to beat World No.1. I am just waiting to play her next time. I will beat her”. The World No. 1 right now is Yihan Wang and Saina lost to her at the Uber Cup in Malaysia. Most sportsmen panic once they’ve lost to a certain player but Saina seems to have conquered those mind blocks and aims to fight that loss by seeking it as a ‘challenge’. No wonder Gopichand says that Saina’s ‘fighting spirit’ and ‘never give up attitude’ has lifted her to the top. This is the stuff champions are made of!
According to former national coach Vimal Kumar, Saina is now one of the biggest and dangerous players in the international arena. He believes that her physical and mental strength is much better than all the top-ranked Chinese players.
Let’s hope Saina Nehwal continues her winning streak with the same attitude and frame of mind. Kudos to you- you have made India proud.
Dr. Chaitanya Sridhar is a reputed sports psychologist and practices out of Bangalore.
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