Saina in race for the BWF Woman Player of the Year Award

ACE INDIAN SHUTTLER Saina Nehwal was on Friday nominated for the Woman Player of the Year award of the Badminton World Federation (BWF).

Saina, who is currently ranked number two, had a consistent season and briefly occupied the number one position in the world. The Indian shuttler will be in contention for the award alongside Spain's Carolina Marin, 2014 winner Zhao Yunlei of China and another Chinese Bao Yixin.

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

In what a superb run this season, Saina became India's first world number one shuttler in women's singles and also won the home leg of the BWF World Superseries tour in Delhi. She also made it to the finals of the BWF World Championships, as well as the All England and the Thaihot China Open. 

Marin, on the other hand, won the All England Championship and the Hong Kong Open in November. In between, she picked up three other Superseries titles and retained the World Championship title. 

Zhao won six Mixed Doubles Superseries partnering Zhang Nan. She also repeated the feat of winning two World Championships in Mixed and Women's Doubles, whilst capturing the Japan and Hong Kong Open titles in Women's doubles. She finished 2015 with a total of eight Superseries titles.

Bao had a successful run in both disciplines, winning the All England Women's doubles and Mixed Doubles at the India Open. She also reached the Mixed Finals in the World Championships, the Australian Open and the Hong Kong Open.