Will focus more on fitness: Saina

Injuries took a toll on Indian badminton ace Saina Nehwal this year. The Olympic bronze medallist failed to win a Super Series title and her ranking slid to a disappointing eighth.

She had to skip the year ending senior nationals in New Delhi and opted out of the Korea Open next month, the first Super Series event of 2014, which may further affect her rankings.

The 23-year-old Hyderabad shuttler, however, isn’t perturbed and is hopeful to make a strong comeback in the new season starting with the Malaysia Open Super Series event in Kuala Lumpur from January 14 to 19. She is ready to skip few tournaments in 2014 and focus on fitness primarily.

“I am missing the Korean Open because I got no time for training and I need proper time to recover. If I look back now I think I played a lot (in 2013). Next year I will make sure that I skip a few tournaments and focus on my fitness and perform my best in a tournament,” Saina said.

Saina started the 2013 season with the Korean Open after recovering from a knee injury but it came back to haunt her. Later she suffered a toe fracture. Her brilliant show in the Indian Badminton League helped Hyderabad Hotshots clinch the title but it seemed to drain Saina further and she fell later in Denmark due to ankle injury.

Saina admitted that her movements were hindered due an increase in her weight but vowed to get back to her prime.

“I actually had put on a lot of weight also in between. That really affected my movement. Now I am coming back to my good (level).”