The big story: It has been a very tough and emotional journey, says Saina

Saina Nehwal on Sunday clinched the Malaysia Masters crown, her first title since returning to action from injury. The Indian ace shuttler described it has been a very tough and emotional journey, PTI reported.

Saina endured a difficult season last year when an Achilles tendonities affected her performance in the beginning of the year but she recovered to win the Australian Open. She, however, developed pain in her knee and suffered a heartbreak at the Olympics, exiting early from the prestigious tournament.

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She then had to go under the knife but she recovered well within three months to make a comeback into the international circuit at China Open. She eventually reached the quarters at Macau Open and Hong Kong Open, before beginning the new season with a moral-boosting win at Malaysia.

“In four months from knee surgery to the title it was very tough and emotional journey for me,” said Saina, who beat 18-year-old Thai Pornpawee Chochuwong 22-20, 22-20 in a 46-minute clash.

This was her 23rd title overall and the first after last year’s Australian Open.

Other top stories

Cricket

  • England registered their first win of the tour of India with a dramatic five-run win in the final over of the third One-Day International match in Kolkata on Sunday.  
  • Gujarat maintained an upper-hand over Rest of India at the end of the third day of the Irani Cup match at Brabourne Stadium on Sunday. They lead Rest of India by 359 runs.
  • Australia cruised to a comfortable 86-run victory over Pakistan in the fourth ODI in Sydney on Sunday. The win saw the hosts take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.
  • Rain washed away the whole of day three of the second Test between New Zealand and Bangladesh at Christchurch.
  • Bangladesh spinner Arafat Sunny was taken to police custody after a complaint was filed by the country’s Information and Communication technology.
  • Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Sunday finally joined the list of elite cricketers who have stands dedicated after them when the eastern block of the Eden Gardens here was etched in his name.

Tennis

  • Roger Federer made his way into the quarter-final of the Australian Open after overcoming a stiff challenge from Kei Nishikori 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday night.
  • Top seed and defending champion Angelique Kerber was dumped out of the Australian Open after a fourth-round loss to world No. 35 Coco Vandeweghe in the fourth round on Sunday.
  • World No. 1 Andy Murray was stunned by 50th ranked Mischa Zverev 5-7, 7-5, 2-6, 4-6 in the Australian Open round of 16 in the biggest upset of the tournament so far.
  • Sania Mirza and her partner Barbora Strycova were knocked out by unseeded Japanese pair Eri Hozumi and Miyu Kato in the third round 3-6, 6-2, 2-6.
  • Frenchman Jo-Wilfred Tsonga beat Briton Dan Evans 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 to reach the quarter-final.
  • In women’s singles, Garbine Muguruza beat Romanian Sorana Cirstea 6-2 6-3 took book her place in the quarter-finals, her best finish in the Open so far.
  • The legendary doubles pair, Bob and Mike Bryan have pulled out of USA’s Davis Cup squad.

Football

  • Alexis Sanchez converted a 98th-minute penalty to steal a 2-1 win over Burnley who had levelled the scores in stoppage time with a spot-kick of their own.  
  • Diego Costa scored on his return to the Chelsea XI as the Blues defeated Hull City 2-0 in a Premier League clash on Sunday.
  • Leicester City’s winless form away from home in the Premier League continued as they slumped to a 3-0 loss to Southampton at St Mary’s on Sunday.
  • A 79th-minute strike by Mahmoud Al-Amna gave Aizawl a narrow 1-0 win over Mumbai FC in an I-League clash at the Cooperage Ground on Sunday.
  • East Bengal’s Robin Singh scored a late winner to down his former club Bengaluru FC 2-1 in an I-League clash in Kolkata on Sunday.  
  • Ghana entered the quarter-final of the African Cup of Nations after beating Mali 1-0 through a Asamoah Gyan goal. Egypt posted a 1-0 win against Uganda.

Golf

  • Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma finished an impressive tied 11th at the season-opening SMBC Singapore Open golf tournament on Sunday, PTI reported.
  • Anirban Lahiri fired an eight-under 64 to move up from his overnight 69th position to a tied-13th at the end of the third round of the CareerBuilder Challenge at La Quinta, California on Sunday, PTI reported.

Hockey

  • Gurjinder Singh converted a penalty corner to hand Kalinga Lancers a 1-0 victory over Delhi Waveriders in their opening campaign of the Hockey India League on Sunday.