Monday 12th May, 2025
MUMBAI: PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal may have grown used to strangers coming up to them, requesting autographs and selfies, but it was their parents this time around, who were approached to share the frame with a special fan outside the World Badminton Championship venue in Glasgow.
Nehwal’s father Harvir Nehwal and Sindhu’s mother P Vijayalakshmi were greeted by Toni Martin, who happens to be the mother of former World No 1 Carlina Marin.
The mother of the Spanish and reigning Olympic champion waited patiently with the other fans who had gathered to greet the Indian Olympic stars. Toni posed with Sindhu and Nehwal but sneaked in a couple of selfies with the parents as well.While the Indian shuttlers finishing with silver and bronze medals, Marin crashed out of the quarterfinals to eventual gold medalist Nozomi Okuhara.
Marin has engaged in some enticing on-court duels with Sindhu and Nehwal. The Spaniard got the better of Sindhu at the Olympic final in Rio last year while Sindhu beat her on the road to winning the India Open Super Series title in April.
Nehwal was defeated by Marin in the 2015 World Championship final in Indonesia.