Saina goes down fighting

It was a wrap on her 2008 calendar, and it ended with Saina Nehwal8217;s 15-21, 21-14, 21-16 loss to Chen Wang of Hong Kong. But having reached the last-four of the World Super Series Masters Finals, the Indian world No 10 is glad that she gave her best in her 42-minute defeat, with a blitz start that even threatened an upset as she kept her lead to win the first game.

But too tired to sustain the momentum 8212; she was playing her third high-intensity game in two days 8212; the 18-year-old couldn8217;t get herself to prevail over her more experienced rival as she trailed on points throughout the next two games. 8220;I was too tired and couldn8217;t control my errors or counter when she suddenly started smashing. I tired out during the long rallies,8221; she said. Saina was happy, nevertheless, with her three days in Malaysia where she beat two top players 8212; Pi Hongyan and Mew Choo Wong 8212; in back-to-back matches on Friday and stretched the world No 6 from Hong Kong to another three-setter, after a lowly first day when she had submitted to Tine Rasmussen.

8220;Overall I am very happy with my performance. If I can beat two top players in a single day, I know I will be able to beat anyone now. It has given me a lot of confidence and made me more focused on next year8217;s tournaments,8221; she said of the season which restarts with the Malaysian Super Series and the Korean Super Series in January.

8220;I still need to work a lot on stamina, because while I could match Chen Wang8217;s strokes, and inched closer at 13-14 in the third game, I couldn8217;t manage to play those shots in the deciding moments,8221; she added.