Two years after losing the final to [[Wang Yihan]], she became the first Indian to win [[2008 BWF World Junior Championships|World Junior Championships]] by defeating ninth seeded Japanese [[Sayaka Sato]] 21–9, 21–18.<ref name="wjc08">{{Cite web|url=https://sports.ndtv.com/badminton/saina-nehwal-wins-world-junior-championship-1602620|title=Saina Nehwal wins world junior championship|publisher=NDTV Sports|date=3 November 2008|access-date=2 June 2020}}</ref> She participated in the [[Badminton at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's singles|2008 Beijing Olympics]] where she was unseeded. She began her fight with a win against Russian [[Ella Diehl]] (2–0) in round 1 and Ukrainian [[Larisa Griga]] (2–0) in second round.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://punemirror.indiatimes.com/sports/others/fire-thrice/articleshow/53503656.cms|title=Fire & thrice|publisher=Pune Mirror|date=2 August 2016|access-date=2 June 2020}}</ref> She became the first Indian woman to reach the quarter-finals when she upset reigning Asian Games champion number four seed [[Wang Chen (badminton player)|Wang Chen]] of Hong Kong in a three-game thriller.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mykhel.com/badminton/saina-nehwal-stuns-chen-wang-to-enter-quarters-014124.html|title=Saina Nehwal stuns Chen Wang to enter quarters|publisher=myKhel|date=11 August 2008|access-date=2 June 2020}}</ref> In the quarter-finals Nehwal lost a 3-gamer to world number 16 [[Maria Kristin Yulianti]]. Nehwal was leading 11–3 in the decider but could not hold on against her opponent and lost the match by a 28–26, 14–21, 15–21 scoreline.<ref name="og08">{{cite web|url=https://www.mykhel.com/badminton/saina-nehwals-beijing-olympics-2008-dream-ends-022850.html|title=Saina Nehwal out of Beijing Olympics|publisher=myKhel|date=13 August 2008|access-date=2 June 2020}}</ref> |
Two years after losing the final to [[Wang Yihan]], she became the first Indian to win [[2008 BWF World Junior Championships|World Junior Championships]] by defeating ninth seeded Japanese [[Sayaka Sato]] 21–9, 21–18.<ref name="wjc08">{{Cite web|url=https://sports.ndtv.com/badminton/saina-nehwal-wins-world-junior-championship-1602620|title=Saina Nehwal wins world junior championship|publisher=NDTV Sports|date=3 November 2008|access-date=2 June 2020}}</ref> She participated in the [[Badminton at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's singles|2008 Beijing Olympics]] where she was unseeded. She began her fight with a win against Russian [[Ella Diehl]] (2–0) in round 1 and Ukrainian [[Larisa Griga]] (2–0) in second round.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://punemirror.indiatimes.com/sports/others/fire-thrice/articleshow/53503656.cms|title=Fire & thrice|publisher=Pune Mirror|date=2 August 2016|access-date=2 June 2020}}</ref> She became the first Indian woman to reach the quarter-finals when she upset reigning Asian Games champion number four seed [[Wang Chen (badminton player)|Wang Chen]] of Hong Kong in a three-game thriller.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mykhel.com/badminton/saina-nehwal-stuns-chen-wang-to-enter-quarters-014124.html|title=Saina Nehwal stuns Chen Wang to enter quarters|publisher=myKhel|date=11 August 2008|access-date=2 June 2020}}</ref> In the quarter-finals Nehwal lost a 3-gamer to world number 16 [[Maria Kristin Yulianti]]. Nehwal was leading 11–3 in the decider but could not hold on against her opponent and lost the match by a 28–26, 14–21, 15–21 scoreline.<ref name="og08">{{cite web|url=https://www.mykhel.com/badminton/saina-nehwals-beijing-olympics-2008-dream-ends-022850.html|title=Saina Nehwal out of Beijing Olympics|publisher=myKhel|date=13 August 2008|access-date=2 June 2020}}</ref> |