Super Saina! Ace Indian shuttler nominated for BWF Woman Player of the Year award

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Saina Nehwal, who became India\'s first world number one in women\'s singles earlier this year has had her consistent performances recognised by the BWF. She has been nominated for the prestigious Woman Player of the Year award alongside current world number one Carolina Marin of Spain, and Zhao Yunlei and Bao Yixin of China. The winner will be announced on December 7.

Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal has been nominated for the Woman Player of The Year Award by the Badminton World Federation, after a consistent season which saw her occupy the world number one spot for a brief period.

Saina, currently ranked world number two, will vie for the coveted honour along with world number one Carolina Marin of Spain, 2014 winner Zhao Yunlei and Bao Yixin who are both from China.

The winners of the BWF Players of the Year Awards will be announced at the Players' Reception and Gala Dinner of the Dubai World Superseries Finals on December 7 at the Al Badia Golf Club.

Saina became India's first world number one in women's singles and enjoyed a consistent run this season, winning her home leg of the BWF World Superseries tour in Delhi and also reaching the finals of the BWF World Championships, the All England Badminton Championships and the Thaihot China Open.

Carolina Marin started and ended the year on a perfect note - winning the All England Championship in March and the Hong Kong Open in November. In between, she picked up three other Superseries titles and retained the World Championship title.

Zhao was the pre-eminent woman doubles player. Partnering Zhang Nan, she won six Mixed Doubles Superseries. She repeated the remarkable feat of winning two World Championships - in Mixed and Women's Doubles - while capturing the Japan and Hong Kong Open titles in Women's Doubles. Overall, she collected eight Superseries titles in 2015.

Bao was successful in both her disciplines - winning the All England Women's Doubles crown and Mixed Doubles at the India Open. She reached the Mixed finals in the World Championships, the Australian Open and the Hong Kong Open.

In the Male Player of the Year category, world number one Chen Long of China - who won the title last season - has been nominated alongside his doubles-playing compatriot, Zhang Nan, and Korea's exciting duo of Lee Yong Dae and Yoo Yeon Seong.

In a historic first, there are three nominees each for the Male Para-Badminton Player of the Year and the Female Para-Badminton Player of the Year.

With PTI inputs