Saina Nehwal gets in action mode in Bengaluru

The biggest lure of any sport, and the people who play it, is the ability to inspire people to push their limits, both physically and mentally. That is something that India’s top female badminton player Saina Nehwal is well aware of, a reason she cities for taking time out of her hectic schedule to attend an annual, national-level frisbee tournament in the city on Sunday.
It was the second time for Saina, currently world number 2, to be present at the final of the tournament, which was held on the outskirts of Bengaluru.About the sport, she says, “What I like about it the most is that it is a mixed gender sport and played without any referees. There aren’t many sports that share such characteristics. Today, India is more receptive to the growth of sports other than the established ones and as a sportsperson, it makes me very happy to see that.”
Saina, who was present at the final of the tournament in 2013 as well, was surprised to see the huge crowd of players gathered to greet her, and commented about how the numbers have risen. She tried her hand at throwing a frisbee back then, but hasn’t ever since. She says, “Unfortunately, I don’t get time to play anything other than badminton. Hopefully, I will if time permits.” Will she be back again to watch the tournament? “As many times as possible,” she quips, adding, “Of course, all of that depends on my hectic training and tournament schedule,” she says.