<p>"I should not have gone to Rio" Olympics, said Saina Nehwal, almost a year after the champion shuttler's early exit proved to be one of the biggest upsets for the Indian contingent at the Games.<br /><br />The 27-year-old Saina's second round defeat to unheralded Ukrainian Marija Ulitina was the lowest point for India in Rio, having entered the Games as the previous edition's bronze medallist and a winner of multiple international tournaments.<br /><br />That was a year ago. Now, a rejuvenated Saina marked her return to the big league by reaching the semifinals of the World Badminton Championships here.<br /><br />"Only I know what I went through. I shouldn't have gone to Rio, I didn't know I had a major injury. The belief of my parents and coach helped me get back. I still have tendonitis in the (right) knee," Saina said after her quarterfinal match.<br /><br />Her second world championship semifinal appearance is different because she had struggled on court after returning from a career-threatening knee injury and a surgery that hampered her at Olympics last year.<br /><br />The 27-year-old Indian, who won a silver medal at the last edition at Jakarta, dug deep into her reservoir to eke out a 21-19 18-21 21-15 win over world No. 31 Kristy Gilmour of Scotland.<br /><br />"I was expecting a tough fight, but I was surprised she was playing so quick," said Saina.<br /><br />"There were a lot of difficult rallies. She was pepped up and motivated, she put up a great show. I didn't expect she would last so long in the third game."<br /><br />Saina had come into the match with a 4-0 head-to-head record against the 23-year-old Scottish, but she didn't play her in the last three years. Gilmour had meanwhile won two silver medals at the European Championship.<br /><br />The London Olympics bronze medallist will next play seventh seed Nozomi Okuhara of Japan, who knocked out two-time defending champion Spain's Carolina Marin 21-18 14-21 21-15 in another match.<br />"I wasn't sure of a medal, I had a difficult draw. Reaching the semi-finals is a great feeling, but tomorrow will be a tough match." <br /><br /></p>
<p>"I should not have gone to Rio" Olympics, said Saina Nehwal, almost a year after the champion shuttler's early exit proved to be one of the biggest upsets for the Indian contingent at the Games.<br /><br />The 27-year-old Saina's second round defeat to unheralded Ukrainian Marija Ulitina was the lowest point for India in Rio, having entered the Games as the previous edition's bronze medallist and a winner of multiple international tournaments.<br /><br />That was a year ago. Now, a rejuvenated Saina marked her return to the big league by reaching the semifinals of the World Badminton Championships here.<br /><br />"Only I know what I went through. I shouldn't have gone to Rio, I didn't know I had a major injury. The belief of my parents and coach helped me get back. I still have tendonitis in the (right) knee," Saina said after her quarterfinal match.<br /><br />Her second world championship semifinal appearance is different because she had struggled on court after returning from a career-threatening knee injury and a surgery that hampered her at Olympics last year.<br /><br />The 27-year-old Indian, who won a silver medal at the last edition at Jakarta, dug deep into her reservoir to eke out a 21-19 18-21 21-15 win over world No. 31 Kristy Gilmour of Scotland.<br /><br />"I was expecting a tough fight, but I was surprised she was playing so quick," said Saina.<br /><br />"There were a lot of difficult rallies. She was pepped up and motivated, she put up a great show. I didn't expect she would last so long in the third game."<br /><br />Saina had come into the match with a 4-0 head-to-head record against the 23-year-old Scottish, but she didn't play her in the last three years. Gilmour had meanwhile won two silver medals at the European Championship.<br /><br />The London Olympics bronze medallist will next play seventh seed Nozomi Okuhara of Japan, who knocked out two-time defending champion Spain's Carolina Marin 21-18 14-21 21-15 in another match.<br />"I wasn't sure of a medal, I had a difficult draw. Reaching the semi-finals is a great feeling, but tomorrow will be a tough match." <br /><br /></p>