Saina Nehwal has learnt a lot of things over the course of her dozen year-long pro career. Putting on the mask of a smile after she loses a title is not one of those. So, the 27-year-old didn’t hold back her tears after being blitzed 21-9, 21-13 by Tai Tzu Ying in the final of the Indonesia Masters Super 500 in Jakarta on Sunday. She stood on the podium a little like a lost child, the spotlight of the medal ceremony prolonging her agony. That runner-up medal, cheque, trophy, the posing and accepting of commiserations – she looked like she wanted none of those at that moment. This could be the Saina of 10 years ago – at 17, she detested defeat and the tears almost always spurred her on to return with vengeance and achieve whatever it was that was eluding her.