Saina: India's badminton in transition, time for youngsters

Saina Nehwal has stepped back from competing but remains deeply attuned to the sport she helped define. She believes Indian badminton is in a transition phase and that it will take time for the next wave of players to mature. While acknowledging a slight dip in results among young female players, she urged patience rather than immediate judgments as the pipeline develops.

On the sidelines of the launch of the New Delhi chapter of the Legends’ Vision Legacy Tour 2025 and its community project A Racquet’s Second Life at the Siri Fort Sports Complex, Saina and former Danish star Peter Gade demonstrated the sport for kids. The event featured on-court sessions where the icons explained different angles, shots, grips, rallies and playing tips through live demonstrations. Exhibition matches followed, with project ambassadors including P. Kashyap, Anand Pawar, Aparna Popat and Sayali Gokhale joining the action.

As a player who spent years chasing global titles, Saina spoke about promoting the sport beyond elite competition. “As players, we want to promote this because we have played the sport for so many years. Growing up as an Indian female player, I didn’t have a role model whom I could dream of emulating. But now the kids have so many role models to look up to and we hope to give them a means to live their dream,” she said.

The initiative aims to bridge the gap between grassroots coaching and elite performance, encouraging young shuttlers to train together, compete healthily, and resist the rush for instant success. By pairing seasoned champions with rising talents, the tour seeks to foster a sustainable pipeline that could eventually strengthen India’s standing on the world stage.

Cover image source: Javier Sotomayor encourages Indian athletes to focus on discipline, mindset 🔗

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