Saina won Commonwealth Games gold in Delhi in 2010 and Olympic bronze in London in 2012, the latter after China’s Wang Xin retired injured in the bronze-medal match. Her best spell followed in 2014 and 2015 under coach Vimal Kumar, when she won the China Open, the India Open and the Australian Open, reached the All England final, took World Championships silver in Jakarta and reached world No. 1. A serious knee injury at Rio 2016 required surgery, yet she returned to win World Championships bronze in 2017 and Commonwealth gold in 2018. Her last competitive appearance came at the 2023 Singapore Open, and in January 2026 she confirmed she had retired.
Saina Nehwal Records and Milestones
First Indian to win an Olympic medal in badminton (bronze, London 2012)
First Indian woman to be ranked world No. 1 in badminton (April 2015)
First Indian woman to reach a World Championships final (silver, 2015)
First Indian woman to win a BWF Superseries title (Indonesia Open 2009)
Two Commonwealth Games singles golds (2010 and 2018)
Saina Nehwal Awards and Honours
Year
Award
2008
BWF Most Promising Player
2009
Arjuna Award
2010
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (then Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna)
