What a match! What a lady! What a day! Saina Nehwal did herself and India proud in a packed Wembley Arena this afternoon with a clinically professional performance to defeat that wily old coyote from Denmark, Tine Baum, 21-15; 22-20, and make the semi-finals of the Olympics badminton women's singles.
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| Supple Saina - in action in the quarters earlier today. She's lost weight, 5 kgs, in preparation for the Olympics. |
Us Indians, and there were more than a fair sprinkling present, went crazy. The chants and screams were several and varied. "Jeete ga bhai, jeete ga, India jeete ga", "Let's go Saina, let's go", "Come on Saina", "Come on India", "Chak de", "Chalo Saina, chalo", "Steady Saina, steady", all pierced the air with clock work regularity through our badminton queen's match. The atmosphere was India charged with many Indian flags proudly being waived. At times Saina must have felt she was playing in Lucknow, not London.
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| Chic Saina - the pretty lady makes a fashion statement, a single piece dress! The endorsements will pour in. |
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| The guru and the pupil. Gopichand, the coach, coaches. Saina, the player, gets coached. |
The first game saw Saina take control from the beginning. She kept a healthy lead through the game and ran out a facile winner in the first. The second saw tables turned. Tine Baum started well and nearly ended the game well too. Baum had three game points at 20-17 but it was one of those Saina end of game fight backs for which she has now got a growing reputation for. Five points Saina pulls off in a row to take the second game too and the match.
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| She stoops to conquer. Approaching victory..... |
Pandemonium breaks out amongst us Indians present. I move with my tricolour a few steps down to the edge of the court and 'am soon followed by three other screaming flag totting Indians. We set up an incessant chant of "Saina, Saina". She looks up from packing her racquets into her bag and says a shy, polite "Thank you". A super badminton player. A fine lady.
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| Yours truly in truly celebratory mood right after Saina's match and next to the court she played on. "Come on India!" Thanks for the many message from India about me appearing on TV with the beloved tricolour. Jai Hind! |
Lots of photographs later (by now most of the Indians in the crowd had gathered where I was sitting next to the court) us Indian supporters go out of the stadium together chanting "India, India", waving our flags furiously. Lots more photographs and lots more new Indian friends made in the gathering outside. Olympic victory is the best medicine to bring Indians together in any part of the world. And badminton in the Country seems to be becoming ever so popular. Thanks a ton Saina.
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| The badminton queen walking back from the stadium to the Ibis hotel next door on Wembley Way soon after I meet and congratulate her. Notice she herself is carrying her kit bag and saunters on the high streets of London totally unrecognised. |
