PBL 2018 | Saina Nehwal believes PBL has helped a lot of shuttlers improve their standard

PBL 2018 | Saina Nehwal believes PBL has helped a lot of shuttlers improve their standard

no photo

|

Facebook

Saina Nehwal has asserted that the Premier Badminton League (PBL) has helped a lot of shuttlers and the tournament is getting wider day by day in the country. She has also underlined the fact that the noise created by the spectators present at a venue can have both negative and positive impact.

Nehwal will represent the North Eastern Warriors in the fourth edition of the Premier Badminton League which will start on December 22 in Mumbai. There will be a total of 30 ties in the league which also includes seven double-headers. All the franchises will host one double header each in their home city while Pune and Ahmedabad will see two each. 

Writing in her column, Saina has stated that the league has only benefitted the players in India. She also wrote that there are many children in the country who are taking up the sport at a young age and this has happened only because of the popularity of the league which has resulted in the increase in popularity of the game as well.

“The PBL net is getting wider and more players have benefited. There has been a whole lot of budding players who have made their mark. Obviously, more are due, especially with the kids who are falling in love with the sport at a tender age. It was bound to happen. The kids have been blessed to watch the likes of Carolina Marin, Tai Tzu-Ying, Lee Chong Wei, Kidambi Srikanth and others in action, and go crazy. They may try to imitate them, which I understand is impossible. But that's how you get introduced to the sport," Saina wrote in her column for TOI.

"The PBL has helped immensely in increasing badminton's popularity. With all matches being telecast live, it attracts people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.”

The 28-year-old also wrote about the enthusiasm of the spectators who come in big numbers to follow their favourite players and cheer for them. The noise inside the playing arena pumps up the athletes but according to her, it at times backfires the players and causes a slight lapse in concentration. She recently lost the final of Syed Modi International to Chinese youngster Han Yue 18-21, 8-21.

"Sometimes the noise inside the arena is deafening. The enthusiasm of spectators cheering for their favourite player increases the decibel levels in the stand. For us players, the chants in the crowd, bring about that unmistakable rush of adrenaline, and along with it the responsibility to fulfil their expectations. But at times, it backfires too as the noise may create a bit of disturbance in the rhythm, that too at a crucial stage. But most of us like the encouragement.

"I finished the Syed Modi tournament in Lucknow last week and will return to Hyderabad soon to start preparing for the PBL. It's important to shrug off the stress of a tough year at the International circuit and will be consulting my coaches of my NE Team to prepare for the event," Saina concluded.

Get updates! Follow us on

Open all