Saina Nehwal, under P. Gopichand and Vimal Kumar, won important titles and was among the best in the world. We take a look at how she fared under both coaches.
After a three-year gap, Saina Nehwal is set to reunite with her former mentor Pullela Gopichand. In a series of tweets, the former world No. 1 confirmed that she's ending her association with Vimal Kumar.
Saina began training under Gopichand when she was 14-years-old and was his shining student, winning trophies and making history. The duo, together, revived Indian badminton and made the country a formidable force to handle.
Saina, under both coaches, won important titles and was among the best in the world. Here's how she fared under them...
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS OF SAINA
UNDER GOPICHAND
UNDER VIMAL KUMAR
2004:
Began training as a 14-year-old.
2014:
Began training in September.
Became the 1st Indian woman to win the China Open Super Series Premier by beating Japan's Akane Yamaguchi 21–12, 22–20 in the final.
2006:
Became the Under-19 national champion and created history by winning the prestigious Asian Satellite Badminton tournament (India Chapter) twice.
She became the youngest player from Asia to win a 4-star tournament – the Philippines Open.
2015:
Defended the India Open Grand Prix Gold by defeating Spain's Carolina Marin in the final.
Became the first Indian woman shuttler to reach the finals of All England Open Badminton Championships, but lost to Carolina in the final.
2008:
Became the first Indian woman to reach the quarterfinals at the Beijing Olympics.
Won the Chinese Taipei Open in September.
Won her maiden women's singles title at the India Open BWF Super Series beating Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand.
Became the first Indian women's player to be World No.1 in badminton.
2009:
Became the first Indian to win a BWF Super Series title,
by clinching the Indonesia Open.
Went down fighting to Marin again, in the final of World Badminton Championships held in Jakarta.
2010:
Became the first Indian Woman to reach the semifinals of 2010 All-England Super Series.
Won the the India Open Grand Prix Gold, beating Wong Mew Choo of Malaysia.
Clinched her second Super Series title — Singapore Open — by beating qualifier Tai Tzu-Ying of Chinese Taipei in the final.
Defended her Indonesia Open super series title and reached a career high world ranking of No. 2
As top seed, she won the gold medal in the women's singles event at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
Won the Hong Kong Super Series — her fourth Super Series title — defeating Wang Shixian in three games.
2016:
Couldn't defend the Indian Open as she lost to Li Xuerei in a hard-fought semifinal.
Won her first title of the year at the Australian Super Series after defeating China's Sun Yu in the final by 11–21, 21–14, 21–19.
2011:
Won the Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold after defeating Ji Hyun Sung.
Became the first Indian singles player to reach the final of BWF Super Series Masters Finals but lost in the final.
Made a shock exit in her second match at the Rio Olympics, losing to World No. 61 Marija Ulitina by 18–21, 19–21.
2012:
Defended her Swiss Open title, beating world No. 2 Wang Shixian in straight games.
Won the Indonesia Open Super Series by defeating World No. 3 Li Xuerui.
On August 4, she won the bronze medal at the London Olympics when China's Wang Xin retired from the match.
Won Denmark Open.
2017:
Won her maiden Malaysia open Grand Prix Gold title.
2014:
Defeated P.V. Sindhu in their first international meeting to win the India Open Grand Prix Gold.
Won the Australian Super Series, defeating Carolina Marin.
Bagged the bronze medal at the World Badminton Championship.
