Our current players need to develop a bit more physically: Saina Nehwal
Olympic medallist shuttler Saina Nehwal has suggested that Indian players need to improve their physical fitness to cope with the demands of international badminton and attain the consistency required to win titles regularly on the world tour.
In a free-flowing interaction with PTI, the 2012 London Games bronze medallist spoke about how injuries have become “normal” for the current generation, and how the new crop of women’s singles players lack “aggression” and have become “soft” in the age of social media.
“We need to be more consistent to be like how it was before. We need more consistent results from Satwik-Chirag or Lakshya or Sindhu, or the upcoming ones. We need results for sure,” Saina, who is in the city for the Legends’ Vision Legacy Tour India, said on Monday.
“Maybe they should look for good trainers and physios. The coaching part is not that difficult if your body is 100%. So maybe just focus on more trainers and physios and getting your body stronger to win back-to-back titles.
“Viktor (Axelsen) did that in his prime. Carolina (Marin) did that. It’s not mental training. Mentally, everyone is strong. Physically, they just need to develop a bit more,” she added, attributing the lack of sustained results to recurring injuries.
Lakshya is our best men’s singles player right now
Lakshya Sen on Sunday ended a difficult phase by clinching his first title of the 2025 season, defeating Japan’s Yushi Tanaka in the Australian Open Super 500 final in Sydney.
Saina was glad that Lakshya had finally tasted success this season.
“A win is always a win; it gives you a lot of confidence. He has done well in this tournament. It’s a good sign that he is coming back to winning style,” Saina said.
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“He played well in the Olympics and again here. But as a player, you have to handle both criticism and appreciation because it’s part of the job.” Lakshya, who faced criticism after narrowly missing a medal at the Paris Olympics, became only the second Indian to win a title this season after Ayush Shetty’s US Open Super 300 triumph.
“He’s at the highest level, so people expect him to win because we were all winning back-to-back at one point. The level has become so high that everyone expects everyone to win back-to-back,” she said.
“For his level, he is the best men’s singles player right now, so there is extra pressure. But he is performing well and showing results, which is a good sign.”
Maybe this generation is a little soft
While Saina and PV Sindhu were winning senior international tournaments as teenagers, the current generation of women’s singles players is yet to make that kind of an impact.
“Maybe the [current] generation is a little soft. Sindhu and I were a bit more aggressive and powerful. By the time we were 18, we already had very good results at the highest level,” she said.
“But now they are all good; they just need to improve certain areas. It’s taking time because they entered the circuit a little later. We should give them time; they will understand with mistakes and experience,” said Saina, who has 11 titles from 19 finals.
Saina said the rise in injuries globally has made it harder for players to deliver consistent results.
“Physically, it’s [an issue] with everyone in this generation. I don’t see anyone winning back-to-back because they get too many injuries,” she said.
“Even the Chinese are playing 1-2 tournaments and then getting injured. An Se Young has had so many injuries at just 21-22. Injuries are part of a sportsperson’s career, but it has become more normal in this generation.”
Published on Nov 24, 2025