Who is better Saina Nehwal or PV Sindhu?: Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu have been cornerstones of Indian badminton on the global level. The two have won countless tournaments and honours, bringing glory to the nation and promoting the sport in the country.
Despite the two being the face of Indian badminton at different times, one cannot help but question, who has had a greater legacy. Which of these two all-time greats has had a deeper impact on badminton in this country?
Who is better Saina Nehwal or PV Sindhu?
Who is better Saina Nehwal or PV Sindhu? While we will be comparing the accomplishments and legacies of Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu today, this piece in no way suggests that one of these athletes should be celebrated more than the other. This will be a very objective take on the two’s career, their records, and achievements. Despite any differences that might pop up, both – Nehwal and Sindhu have equally made India proud.
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International Medals and Accomplishments
Who is better Saina Nehwal or PV Sindhu? Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu, both have been adorned by a myriad of championships and medals across their long careers.
First up is Saina Nehwal, who has won a silver and a bronze medal at the BWF World Championship. Has won 10 BWF Grand Prix and was the runner-up in one, and has won one BWF World Tour title. The Haryana native has also won 10 BWF Superseries titles and finished second in five. Saina has also won a bronze in the Asian Games, three bronze in the Asian Championships, and two Commonwealth gold medals.
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In a historic moment for Indian badminton, Saina Nehwal became the first Indian shuttler to win an Olympic medal, when she secured a bronze in the 2012 London Olympic Games.
We now shift our attention to PV Sindhu, who is, to fate, the only Indian to win a gold medal at the BWF World Championships, doing so in 2019. She also has two silvers and two bronzes in the tournament. Sindhu has won three BWF Superseries titles, finishing second in four. She has also won six BWF Grand Prix and four BWF World Tour titles. PV Sindhu has won a silver and a bronze in the Asian Games, two bronzes in the Asian Championships, and a whopping five Commonwealth Games medal, which includes two golds, two silvers, and a bronze.
Having taken the baton from Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu one-upped her in winning a silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She also won a bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
While the two have won about the same number of international accolades, it is safe to say that PV Sindhu has had a more successful career when it comes to international accolades.
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Who are the top badminton players?
Recent Form
Both – Saina Nehwal had the best current form. While it is more understandable for Nehwal, who is five years older than Sindhu and is at the rear-end of her career.
Saina Nehwal has left no significant mark on badminton in 2023, exiting tournaments in the first and second rounds. In fact, we have to go all the way back to 2019 to reach her last tournament win, when she defeated the then Olympic gold medallist Carolina Marin in the final of the Indonesian Masters. Since then, injuries and the general toll of a decade-long career have been hampering her late career.
PV Sindhu is in a much better position, although that should be expected from someone who has a few years still left in her tank. While she has not won a single major tournament in 2023, the Hyderabad native has reached the semi-finals on a couple of occasions. She also won a fair few tournaments in 2022, including a gold in the Commonwealth Games.
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PV Sindhu vs Saina Nehwal: Head-to-Head
The last category we will be looking at today is the head-to-head record of the two badminton superstars.
In the four matches the two have faced off in international tournaments, Saina Nehwal has won three, with Sindhu taking the fourth.
The most recent encounter between the two was in the final of the Women’s Singles tournament of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, where Saina took the gold.
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Final Thoughts
Today we looked at the the different yet equally accomplished careers of PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal. While the reader might reach a conclusion after reading the facts laid out in this article, this piece is in no way an indication of which player was better in their day.
India must not look at these two brilliant athletes and think ‘Saina Nehwal vs PV Sindhu’, but should be proud of their collective accomplishments – that is ‘Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu’.
Check Out:
- Who is better Saina Nehwal or PV Sindhu?
- Who are the top badminton players in the world?
- Who are the best female badminton players in the world?
- Who is the first Indian para badminton player to appear in the Paralympics and win a medal for India
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