Beijing: Saina Nehwal may well prove to be the dark horse in the Indian Olympic contingent. The shy 18-year-old from Hyderabad pulled off the biggest upset of the women's singles badminton competition, knocking out fourth seed and World No. 6 Wang Chen in the pre-quarter finals Monday.
World No. 15 Saina shocked the 2007 World Championships runner-up Wang 21-19, 11-21, 21-11 in 52 minutes at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium.
The China-born Hong Kong girl became the highest seed to be knocked out so far.
Saina must have found the win sweeter as it came in the presence of a high profile audience. Apart from Denmark's royal family - Crown Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Mary and Princess Benedikte - there was also Microsoft co-founder and chairman Bill Gates, Malaysia's Sports Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and a whole lot of International Olympic Committee members watching the shuttlers in action Monday.
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