'Saina and Sindhu are top contenders, but they will have to beat players who are playing solid badminton at this juncture.'
Indian badminton ace Saina Nehwal notched up her first title after a career-threatening injury by claiming the Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold with a hard-fought victory in the summit clash in Sarawak, Malaysia, on Sunday.
No Indian athlete since Independence has won multiple medals at a single Games.
London Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal scripted history by reaching the finals of the prestigious All England Badminton Championship with a straight-game victory over Sun Yu of China in the women's singles competition in Birmingham.
In a rare honour for an Indian sportsperson, Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal has been appointed a member of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Athletes' Commission.
Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal set up a semifinal clash against old nemesis and World No. 1 Yihan Wang of China after easing past local hope Tine Baun in straight games at the Denmark Open badminton tournament in Odense, Denmark.
Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu remained in the hunt for a historic Asian Games gold medal after a tense win but Saina Nehwal settled for a bronze following her 10th straight defeat against World No. 1 Tai Tzu Ying.
World No. 1 Saina Nehwal survived a scare before prevailing over Thailand's Busanan Ongbumrungphan in the opening round of the Denmark Open Super Series Premier badminton tournament on Wednesday.
India's badminton ace Saina Nehwal tied the knot with fellow badminton player and long time partner Parupalli Kashyap in Hyderabad on Friday.
Two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar said he welcomed the Sports Ministry's decision to recommend Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal's name for the Padma Bhushan.
The Indian men's team, led by Srikanth, had beaten powerhouse and 14-time champions Indonesia in the final to win the country's maiden Thomas Cup title on Sunday.
Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth's wretched run continued as he went down 6-21, 17-21 to fellow-Indian Ajay Jayaram, diminishing his hopes of qualifying for the Tokyo Games.
It is Sindhu's second semifinal of the season, following a last-four finish at the India Open last month.
Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal crossed the first hurdle with a straight-game victory but India overall had a bitter-sweet day at the Asia Badminton Championship.
The Indian ace went down tamely to Tine Rasmussen of Denmark in her opening match of badminton Super Series Masters finals. World No 10 Saina lost 18-21, 14-21 to the world No 2 Rasmussen in just 27 minutes.
Ajay Jayaram kept India's flag flying by entering the men's singles quarterfinals.
Indian woman shuttler Saina Nehwal on Thursday sailed into the quarterfinal of the ongoing Yonex Chinese Taipei Open Badminton, beating Hong Kong's Kwan Yi Mong 21-8, 21-12.
But Saina, who had lost in the quarter-finals last year, is set to gain 3600 points having made it to the World Championships final this year. Saina will therefore, now have 82, 792 points to her tally, giving her the World No 1 title again.
London Olympics bronze medallist Saina Nehwal wants to qualify for the Dubai World Superseries Finals after resuming her partnership with long-time mentor and chief coach Pullela Gopichand.
'I didn't know I had a major injury. The belief of my parents and coach helped me get back'
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday
India's best hope in the women's singles, Saina Nehwal bowed out of the Yonex Sunrise India Open Grand Prix badminton tournament, though Chetan Anand and Anand Pawar kept hopes alive by defeating their rivals in the men's pre-quarterfinal matches in Hyderabad on Thursday.
His backhand blocks and forehand low returns reaped dividends but an alert Gemke managed to grab a four-point cushion at the interval.
Indian challenge ended at the Asia Badminton Championship with Saina Nehwal and P V Sindhu suffering three-game defeats in the quarter-finals of the continental championship in Wuhan.
The London Olympics bronze medallist will next play seventh seed Nozomi Okuhara of Japan, who knocked out two-time defending champion Spain's Carolina Marin 21-18, 14-21, 21-15 in the other quarter-final.
India's ace shullter Saina Nehwal put up a strong fight but went down 13-21, 21-13, 6-21 to World No 1 Tai Tzu Ying in Denmark Open final on Sunday.
The dream run of top shuttlers Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikanth came to an end in World Super Series Finals badminton tournament.
Top Indian shuttlers Saina Nehwal and Ajay Jayaram continued their good run and reached the quarterfinals of the season-opening Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold in Sarawak on Thursday.
Saina Nehwal's personal coach Vimal Kumar is happy that the newly crowned Australian Open Super Series champion "attacked well" and displayed more determination during her hard-earned win over China's Sun Yu.
An erratic Saina Nehwal failed to defend her title at the Indonesian Super Series Premier after suffering a three-game defeat to Germany's Juliane Schenk in the semi-finals of the women's singles competition in Indonesia on Saturday.
PV Sindhu jumped two places to grab the ninth spot, while former World No. 1 Saina, who is on a comeback trail after recovering from a serious injury, slipped five places to 11th spot.
Her recovery from a knee injury going on smoothly, India's star shuttler Saina Nehwal is hoping to return to the courts by the end of next month.
After a shocking exit from the Rio Olympics, Saina Nehwal cited an inflammation in her right knee as the reason for her hampered on-court movement.
Olympics-bound Indian shuttlers Saina Nehwal and P V Sindhu easily won their women's singles first round matches in the Badminton Asia Championships, in Wuhan, China, on Wednesday.
Newly-crowned world No. 1 Saina Nehwal edged out China's Sun Yu to reach the women's singles semi-finals of the $8500,000 Malaysia Open Super Series Premier badminton tournament in Kuala Lumpur.
Third seed Sindhu lost 17-21, 21-16, 18-21 to Zhang in another tough opening encounter that lasted 56 minutes.
In one of the biggest upsets for the India, medal hope Saina Nehwal crashed out of the Rio Games after suffering an straight-game loss upset against lower-ranked Maria Ulitina of Ukraine in her second Group G match at the Rio Olympics on Sunday.
Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal has failed to get elected as one of the four athlete members of the International Olympic Committee, finishing sixth in the race to become a member of Athletics Commission of the global governing body of sport.
Saina Nehwal and P V Sindhu are training at separate academies of national coach Pullela Gopichand ever since their epic Commonwealth Games summit clash
Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal sealed a semi-final spot after a hard-fought victory but compatriot P V Sindhu crumbled under pressure to bow out of the women's singles competition at the Malaysia Open Super Series Premier tournament, in Shah Alam, on Friday.
