Carolina Marin on how tough it is to beat PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal

Whenever PV Sindhu or Saina Nehwal are up against Spanish shuttler Carolina Marin, fans know they are in for a treat.

The Indian badminton stars have played several thrilling matches against the Rio 2016 gold medallist and Carolina Marin has admitted that she always had to find something extra to face either Sindhu or Saina.

“Saina and Sindhu are fantastic players. I admire both of them and when I play against them, I always need to force myself to the limit,” Carolina Marin told The Times of India.

“It is difficult to single out the better player, I have played very tough finals against both of them.”

Carolina Marin leads Saina Nehwal 7-6 in the head-to-head record. Beating Saina, a London 2012 bronze medallist, en route to the 2015 World Championships title, was one of Marin’s biggest wins against the Indian.

The Spaniard has fared slightly better against PV Sindhu, holding an 8-6 record, having beaten her in the 2018 World Championships final and the famous victory in the Rio 2016 final.

Feeling at home in India

The 27-year-old Carolina Marin has regularly flown down to India to play at multiple tournaments and she has spent long periods in the country while playing in the franchise-based Premier Badminton League.

Marin won a maiden title with the Hyderabad Hunters in 2018 and admitted that she was surprised by the extent of her fandom in India.

“After winning the Olympic gold against Sindhu, I could not believe how charming all the Indian fans were with me. I thought they would not be happy with me at all,” she said.

“Anytime I play in India, I feel like I am at home. I would like to thank them for those fantastic moments, and it is an incredible memory that will remain with me forever.”

The Olympic champion had opted out of playing in the 2020 edition of the PBL as she continued her rehabilitation after suffering a serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in 2019 and is aiming to defend her title at the Tokyo Olympics.