Mumbai:
Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal is upbeat about the Japan Open Super Series badminton tournament later this month and said she is targeting to break the top five ranking bracket by this year end.
A chicken pox bout had almost crashed her dream of participating in the World Championship last month but Saina not only participated in the tournament but also became the first Indian to reach the quarterfinal of the event.
The 19-year-old Hyderabadi, however, couldn't participate in the China Masters after missing the deadline for admission of entries but the world number eight said she is now targetting the Japan Open.
"I am training hard for the (USD 200,000) Japan Open. I am fully fit now," said the 19-year-old Saina on the sidelines of a book release function here on Tuesday.
"I was not fully fit then but am fit now and I'm looking forward to do well in the Japan Open (commencing on September 22 in Tokyo).
"The top five, that's my target by year end," she added.
Saina, brand ambassador of IPL franchise Deccan Chargers, also received the first copies of two books chronicling the Hyderabad team's triumphant run in the 2nd edition of the twenty20 event in South Africa in May from Maharashtra Governor SC Jamir.
In his address, Governor Jamir said that though it was great to see India winning a first-ever individual gold medal (through shooter Abhinav Bindra) at last in the Olympic Games, the country's sports persons should not be content to rest on it.
"We got a gold medal in the Olympics which is great. But when you look at China you will know it's nothing," said he pointing out to the host country's domination of the Beijing Games.
"China were not a big name in hockey but in the last 20 years their women's team has won the world championship and also got a silver medal at Beijing," he remarked.
Asserting that India, with a billion-strong population, can definitely produce world beaters, Jamir said it can happen "when we realise that national interest is more important than personal interest."
He also praised the action-packed Twenty20 format of IPL, comparing its length with that of a football match, and said the League "was a lesson in cultural harmony", with various teams having players from different countries playing together.
The Maharashtra Governor also called for sports to be made a compulsory part of school education. "Sports should be made compulsory in the school curriculum," he said.
A chicken pox bout had almost crashed her dream of participating in the World Championship last month but Saina not only participated in the tournament but also became the first Indian to reach the quarterfinal of the event.
The 19-year-old Hyderabadi, however, couldn't participate in the China Masters after missing the deadline for admission of entries but the world number eight said she is now targetting the Japan Open.
"I am training hard for the (USD 200,000) Japan Open. I am fully fit now," said the 19-year-old Saina on the sidelines of a book release function here on Tuesday.
"I was not fully fit then but am fit now and I'm looking forward to do well in the Japan Open (commencing on September 22 in Tokyo).
"The top five, that's my target by year end," she added.
Saina, brand ambassador of IPL franchise Deccan Chargers, also received the first copies of two books chronicling the Hyderabad team's triumphant run in the 2nd edition of the twenty20 event in South Africa in May from Maharashtra Governor SC Jamir.
In his address, Governor Jamir said that though it was great to see India winning a first-ever individual gold medal (through shooter Abhinav Bindra) at last in the Olympic Games, the country's sports persons should not be content to rest on it.
"We got a gold medal in the Olympics which is great. But when you look at China you will know it's nothing," said he pointing out to the host country's domination of the Beijing Games.
"China were not a big name in hockey but in the last 20 years their women's team has won the world championship and also got a silver medal at Beijing," he remarked.
Asserting that India, with a billion-strong population, can definitely produce world beaters, Jamir said it can happen "when we realise that national interest is more important than personal interest."
He also praised the action-packed Twenty20 format of IPL, comparing its length with that of a football match, and said the League "was a lesson in cultural harmony", with various teams having players from different countries playing together.
The Maharashtra Governor also called for sports to be made a compulsory part of school education. "Sports should be made compulsory in the school curriculum," he said.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
