Hyderabad: India's ace badminton player Saina Nehwal has been reportedly afflicted with chicken pox. The temporary health setback is likely to affect her participation in the World Badminton Championships.
Incidentally, Saina seeded sixth in the world had got a bye in the women's singles first round of the World Badminton Championships to be held in Hyderabad on August 10-16.
Recently, the duo of coach Pullela Gopichand and badminton champion Saina Nehwal had been awarded the prestigious Dronacharya and Arjuna awards, respectively.
With the World Badminton Championship round the corner, Saina had expressed that she cannot afford a celebration at the cost of practice, while her 'Dronacharya' coach Pullela Gopichand reckoned the honour only increases his responsibility.
The 20-year-old Saina had said that being awarded the Arjuna award would spur her to greater glory and doing well in next month's World Championship at her home town Hyderabad would be the most befitting celebration.
"I am very happy. It feels really nice to get recognised for my efforts. It gives me a lot of encouragement and motivation to carry on the good work. I feel elated.
"I had a series of good performances of late. I won two titles and overall it has been a good year for me. So to be honest, I was expecting it," Saina had told PTI.
"Now that I have won it, I would like to practise and train much harder and do well in the World Championship. I feel that would be the best way to celebrate," she had added. Saina had won the Indonesian Open Super Series in June and Chinese Taipei Grand Prix Gold last year.
Saina's string of sterling show helped her reach world number six and the diminutive shuttler from Hyderabad said her hunger has only been whetted.
"It is just the start and I know if I can keep putting in the necessary hard work, more such titles will follow," she had said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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