CWG throwback! When Saina Nehwal outclassed PV Sindhu to rewrite history at Commonwealth Games 2018 - WATCH

India's badminton queens Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu managed to set up an all-Indian final in the women's singles event of the Commonwealth Games 2018 hosted by Gold Coast. It was a win-win situation for the Indian contingent as India were assured of gold and silver in the women's singles event at the CWG 2018. Over the years, Saina and Sindhu have displayed top-quality badminton whenever the two trailblazers have faced each other in marquee events.

Ending another glorious chapter of the Sindhu versus Saina rivalry at Gold Coast, Nehwal got the better of her Indian compatriot in the blockbuster final. Saina, who first met her junior pro in the summit clash of the 2014 Syed Modi International GP Gold, battled past Sindhu 21-18, 23-21 in a closely contested final. Saina secured wins in all of her 12 contested matches at Gold Coast to remain unbeaten in the badminton event.

Writing her name into record books at CWG 2018, Saina also became the first Indian to win two singles gold medals at the Commonwealth Games. Before her Gold Coast heroics, Saina had secured the gold medal in the 2010 edition of the Commonwealth Games. Nehwal had also picked up a 21-17, 27-25 win over Sindhu at the 2017 edition of the National Championships.

Clinching her fourth national championship crown in 2019, Nehwal secured her second-second successive title with a win over Sindhu in the lop-sided final. Saina, the defending champion at the Commonwealth Games 2022, opted to skip badminton trials for the showpiece event. Speaking exclusively to Timesnownews.com, Sindhu opened up about her iconic rivalry with Saina.

"Yes, I think the rivalry is really good for the sport and yes, Saina was there before me. Yes, she has been an inspiration to a lot of people, and she has done really well for the country. And later, I have been an inspiration to a lot of people. And I think it is very important to understand the fact that you know, competition is fine, rivalry is fine but it is good that badminton as a sport has been really doing well, and Indian badminton especially," Sindhu had said.

ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: PV Sindhu on intense rivalry with Saina

On Thursday, ace Indian shuttler Sindhu secured her berth in the pre-quarterfinals of the women's singles event at the CWG 2022. Sindhu defeated Maldives' Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq in straight games. The 2018 CWG silver medallist wrapped up the Round of 32 match in just 21 minutes. Sindhu will next face Uganda's Husina Kobugabe in the 2022 edition of the Commonwealth Games.