There are hardly any celebrities around who are up for an interview on a Sunday. Saina Nehwal, is of course, not one of them. The chat is scheduled for noon. The Herbalife brand ambassador, we are told, will train for two more hours! So, we dial the 25-year-old around 2.45pm. She might have laboured on the court on a Sunday, but she sounded relaxed. Over the next 20 minutes, the world no. 2 from Hisar in Haryana, chatted about life on and off court.

Does a Sunday exist in Saina’s life?

(Laughs) It’s just that I couldn’t train for a few days. So, I am training today. Otherwise, I take off on Sundays. 

What is a typical Sunday like?

We train the whole week, so we get tired and are sleepy till mid-noon. (Laughs) Then we try to go out for shopping or movies… otherwise, there is no time for doing these things because rest is also important. 

2015 has been a super year for you… 

It’s been a great year. I would like to thank Vimal Kumar sir. It only happened when I shifted to him. After shifting to the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Bangalore, I could win titles I never thought I would win. I won the China Open (November 2014), India Open, played the finals at All England, I reached the world no. 1 ranking… there are many firsts I never thought I could achieve. I am working very hard with him. I am very thankful to him.

What do you think Vimal Kumar has added to your game?

I think a lot of improvements were required in my strokes, in my defence… a lot of areas I thought I could improve upon because at the highest level, you are not totally weak or strong... you need to make them a little perfect. He is being able to give me full time. I think that is why the improvement is showing. 

The last time we spoke, you had said that you were eyeing the badminton summit. What was the feeling like when you became world no. 1 in April?

I think it was very special. Obviously, when you achieve it, you cannot even believe that you have achieved it and that too in badminton, which is a physically demanding game. Getting to world no. 1, and that too in singles, is a big thing. In singles, you need to be very fit. You have to keep working hard… when I achieved it, I did not know what to do because it was something unbelievable! I was thinking of all those times I put on court, all those sacrifices which I made and what my parents had put in. My coaches have done a lot for me. I was thinking about all that...

You celebrated by...

I celebrated by having an ice cream because I love ice cream! 

Who did you call first?

After the match (India Open finals) everyone got to know… after the press conference I spoke to my mom (Usha Nehwal) because she was there (in Delhi). She was very happy. I had won the India Open which was even more special. It was a big day for both of us. Then I spoke to my dad (Harvir Singh Nehwal) who was also very happy. He was in Hyderabad. It was a big day for all of us because I came into badminton to play and have fun, but I never thought that I would become a world no. 1 or an Olympic medallist some day. It was a dream come true. Things happening with me are very special and I am thankful to my parents and coach. 

You seem so relaxed and cool. So, where does all that on-court aggression come from?
I am very aggressive. Obviously, after practising so much, you become so lazy that you hardly have energy to talk or do anything (laughs). My parents are soft-spoken, humble and down-to-earth. I have learnt that from them. (Laughs) But on the court, I don’t know how... there can be anyone in front of me… I just have to win it. You need that aggression to be the best and win titles. I am very happy that I have that side also in me (laughs). 

What makes a world no. 1?

It is very very difficult because you hardly have any world no. 1... from India. Obviously, Prakash sir did it long back, but among the women, I am the first one. I know every day you have to work for eight hours. You have to be disciplined with your diet. You need to have healthy food and take care of your body… rest is very important. At the same time, you have to keep working and believe that you can be the best in the world. 
The worst thing was that in 2013 and 2014, I went down from world no. 2 to 9. I was like… ‘My God! I have gone down to nine. I don’t think I will be able to come up again or be world no. 1’. That was the time I actually thought that I am finished. I was feeling very bad about it. Then I took the decision of moving to Vimal sir and slowly things started falling into place and I could see myself climbing up again, but you don’t believe it till you achieve it. Sir was there, mummy was there. They kept saying, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll get it… you will be no. 1’. 

How difficult was that phase? Did depression or lack of self-belief set in?

No, there was no depression. Sportspersons are very strong that way. But obviously, I did not like losing. I used to beat most of these players comfortably and now I was losing to them also! There was no proper answer from my side or my coach Gopi sir’s (P. Gopichand) side… that what exactly was going wrong with my game. I think it happens sometimes. So, the results were not showing. Then I had to take a decision… Vimal sir knew where I was weak and where I can improve because he was also watching my matches. I decided to go to Bangalore and train and he was very happy with that. I am very happy that God has given me this chance. I came to Bangalore and the improvement started showing. I started working on the weaker areas. Vimal sir was actually right. That’s what was required. There wasn’t much of a difference but there were small things that he gave time for. That is what is required for a player who is at the highest level. For a world no. 1 or 2, you need to give something extra and special. That’s what Vimal sir is giving me… that special training and treatment is really helping me to perform better now. 

Anything inspirational that you read/ listened to that helped you in that phase?

Nothing. I knew that I am mentally very strong… one big win and I would be back on track. I know that I can be the best, win tournaments and beat the top players. I know I have that belief in me. That is what is required. You don’t have to read books or do anything extra. I believe in working hard and being patient and just being confident. 

You’ve also become the highest-paid female sportstar in India as far as endorsements go. Did that bring back memories of your struggle?

My father is a scientist. He was the one who was earning in the family when I started playing in May 1999. Sending me to tournaments and big events, getting me equipment… he had to get loans from the bank or ask for money from his friends. There were a lot of sacrifices from my father’s side. The equipment is costly and you also have to spend a lot when you are going for tournaments and staying in hotels. I was a kid then… nine or 10 and I didn’t know much about it. I was playing and, as I said, I love winning… so, I just wanted to win…. I would get a cash award and show it to my mom and father and they used to be happy.

As I grew up and started reading their interviews, I came to know there is much more to it than just playing and working hard! It means sacrifices from your parents, which you don’t even think of so much when you are playing the full day. Luckily, I got a lot of good sponsors at the right time. It was a big thing for my father and he was also quite satisfied that, ‘Saina is also earning’. Slowly, things got sorted out, but at the start he had to struggle. Now, it’s more about giving your best and winning. All these things (endorsements) are a part and parcel of winning. I don’t think too much about it, but I feel proud and great to be one of the highest paid. 

What is your next target?

Right now, I am just working for the World Championships in Jakarta. I have two more weeks left. Practice is going on and I hope to perform well there. 

Finally, how did Saina become a Dubsmash champ? 

(Laughs) That was a lot of fun! My friend Akshay (Dewalkar) is a doubles player. He was telling me, ‘Saina, why don’t we do a Dubsmash?’ I was like… ‘No yaar, I cannot do it!’ Then we did one video, which came out really nice and we laughed like anything! We enjoyed a lot! I am a Paresh Rawal fan. I love watching his movies… comedy, fun. I picked Hera Pheri because it is one of my favourite films. We did three and then we thought it was enough and we posted it because we thought if we liked them, people would also like them. 

What is your message for Saina? Tell t2@abp.in