In a classic case of trolling gone wrong, Saina Nehwal taught this ‘fan’ a bitter lesson, very sweetly. Indians across the world were overjoyed and in unison congratulated P V Sindhu for making India proud at the Rio Olympics. The 21-year-old has won silver by defeating Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in the women’s singles draw semi-final and will now fight for gold against Carolina Marin of Spain in the finals. While ecstatic fans took to Twitter and Facebook to post congratulatory messages, some decided to give unwarranted advice to other female athletes. The athlete here being Saina Nehwal, who was carrying an injury in Rio and got eliminated in the opening round.
This person decided it was well within his right to ask Saina to pack up and leave and tweeted this to her — “@NSaina dear saina…pack ur bags..we hav found someone who knows how to beat the best ones” Saina, in all sophistication, replied back saying, “Sure thank u..Sindhu is doing really well ..India is doing really”
However, the guy who later claimed to be her “fan” was quick to realise his undignified behaviour on social media was a big mistake and apologised soon after. Saina’s reply to which was a very calm, “No problem my friend..all the best to u”.
Twitter was however, quick to come in support of the Padmashri, who has maintained her rank in the top 10 and has been conferred the nation’s top two prestigious sporting honours — Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award. Not to forget, Saina was the first Indian woman to win an individual medal in the sports at the London games 2012.
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Here are some of the responses the reckless tweet elicited on Twitter.
@NSaina @ImAnshS6 she is always going to be Indias no 1 badminton player #Respect
— PRANNOY HS (@PRANNOYHSPRI) August 18, 2016
@NSaina @ImAnshS6 What a classy reply by @NSaina to a nasty and unneccesary tweet.
— Steen Schleicher (@steenschleicher) August 18, 2016
She was first one to bring us laurels and will always be no.1 .. They both are our pride of our nation no comparison
@NSaina @ImAnshS6— akanksha singh (@AkankshaSingh4) August 18, 2016
@NSaina@ImAnshS6 The first woman in Indian badminton history to become No.1 is @NSaina . Her legacy is incomparable!!
— mouli (@mouli_ivin) August 18, 2016
Someone forgot Saina, the former world No.1, continues to be in the top five list. So much for being a ‘fan’!