SARAWAK (Malaysia): Indian badminton ace Saina Nehwal notched up her first title after a career-threatening injury by claiming the Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold with a hard-fought victory in the finals on Sunday.
Up against 18-year-old Thai Pornpawee Chochuwong, runner up from 2016 World Junior Championship but ranked more than 50 places below her at 67th, the top-seeded London Olympics Bronze-medallist triumphed 22-20, 22-20 in a 46-minute summit clash.
For Saina, who did not lose a single game in the tournament, this was her 23rd title overall and the first after last year’s Australian Open.
The 26-year-old world No.10, who trains under Vimal Kumar at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Bangalore, is making a comeback from a knee injury which she had suffered during the Rio Olympics last August.
OGQ had facilitated the complete surgery under renowned surgeon Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala in Mumbai in August 2016. Post her surgery OGQ provided her a full time physio to look after her rehab.
