LONDON: India's Saina Nehwal won the bronze as China's Xin Wang forfeited the match with a knee injury. Wang won the first game 21-18 and was leading the second 1-0.
Saina became the first Indian to win an Olympics medal in the badminton event and only the second Indian woman after Karnam Malleswari's bronze at the 2000 Sydney Olympics to win a medal in an individual Olympic sport.Though Saina's Dream Was shattered when she lost the semifinals with Wang Yihan of China on Friday.
The world number two Wang conceded the bronze medal play off match due to a knee injury.
Wang, a former World No.1 and current No.2, hurt her knee when she landed heavily on her right knee following a jump smash.
She had it taped up and went back on court to smash a winner and take the first game, but collapsed on the second point of the second game, and promptly conceded.
Though Saina took off well with exquisite defensive shots in the first game, the Chinese recuperated in no time to equalise at 5-all.
From thereon it was a Wang-dominated game all the way and the Indian could not match her pace making many errors. She made several poor line judgements giving away at least four points to the World No.2.
Wang, a former World No.1, constantly caught Saina on the backfoot and the Hyderabadi, looking nervous, could not pick her cross-court smashes nor her drops at the net. The second seed took a lead of 17-10.
The 22-year-old Indian was not great with the execution of shots and earned a few points with Wang making errors.
However, Saina tried fighting back at the end of the first game after Wang reached game point (20-14). The Commonwealth Games gold medallist then saved four game points to make it 18-20.
But a match point away, the Chinese made a heavy landing, while hitting a smash, and fell on the floor writhing in pain.
The referee called for medical time-out. The tournament doctor came in and tended to her knee. The World No.2 returned to the court with a heavily strapped right knee. Surprisingly, she immediately sealed the game smashing Saina's serve.
Though, she won the first point in the second game, she again dropped on the court in pain.
Saina's father Harvir Singh said she deserved the medal for her sheer commitment to the game.
"It is a God given gift for all the hard work she has put in. It was lucky the way she won but it was definitely deserving considering that she made badminton her life. She became stone-hearted to achieve her goal. She gave up studies," said the agricultural scientist during a media interaction at his residence.
Harvir said her daughter was troubled after her loss to World No.1 Wang Yihan in the semi-final that shattered her dream of an Olympic gold.
"Saina had called me at 11 p.m. last night. She sounded disturbed and was worried about her movement on the court. She asked me to come to London but I refused. I just wanted her to concentrate on the next match."
This is India's third medal in the quadrennial event after Gagan Narang won the bronze in the 10m Air Rifle event and Vijay Kumar clinched the silver medal in the 25-metre rapid fire pistol event.
When it comes to badminton, the Chinese are cut from a different cloth and it shows in their record in all major championships.
Saina, the first Indian shuttler to reach the Olympics semi-finals, lost to top seed Wang Yihan 13-21, 13-21 at the Wembley Arena.
Nehwal's run to the semi-finals raised a tidal wave of expectation in India but she admitted to suffering an attack of nerves as she crumbled 21-13 21-13, despite the overwhelming support of the Wembley Arena. (Agencies)
Edited By Cen Fox Post Team
