Asserting that she still had it in her to win titles, ace shuttler Saina Nehwal on Friday said it was a “matter of being back to her best”.
The last nine months have seen the Hyderabadi shuttler struggle with her fitness resulting in semi-final finished in three crucial tournaments — the Thailand Open, the Indonesia Open and the Singapore Open.
“It doesn’t concern me that much. I know if I am at my best, I can win again,” said Saina at the launch of the Indian Badminton League’s school programme initiative shuttle express in Noida.
“I was not happy with what was happening with me. Some small injuries can irritate you. You cannot be at your best when you are injured... when you are tapping your knee. There were doubts in my mind.
“There were doubts like if I can train, if I can give my 100 per cent.”
Saina, however, said she was raring to give her best at next month’s world championships in Guangzhou, China.
“I was not happy with my fitness. I needed a break but when I got it (after the India Open), my toe got fractured. At the beginning of the year, I also had a knee injury but now I am okay and hopefully should come up with a good performance in the world championships,” said the 23-year-old, who reached the quarter-finals of the last two editions of the tournament.
The Olympic bronze medallist was excited about the IBL, that is set to launch on August 14.
“This is a great initiative by the BAI to promote the sport. It is good to see interest growing in badminton, even in schools there is some improvement,” she said. “I think the IBL will be like Sudirman Cup, a team event, and it would be entertaining.”
Talking about China’s reluctance to send players for the league, Saina said: “The Chinese need to be more open. It is such a big league.”