India's rising shuttler Saina Nehwal on Saturday attributed her defeat in the final of the World Junior badminton tournament to exhaustion which hampered her movement on the court.

Saina, who was just one win away from creating history in India before losing to top seed Chinese Wang Yihan 13-21, 9-21, said having played some tough matches before reaching the final took a heavy toll on her.

"I was tired. My legs were a bit stiff and I could not move so well on the court," Saina said.

World number 32 Saina admitted she was excited to play her first final in a world championship but could not give her best today.

"I could have played better. I played many negative points. It was not my 100 per cent.

"She caught me more on my backhand smashes and during full court rallies," she said.

Saina, however, denied that she was under any pressure.

"I did not take much pressure though I know there were many hopes attached to me but I could not help it," she said.

The 16-year-old rated her opponent as a better player than herself but said she could beat Wang.

"She is a better player than I am. She recently beat seniors world number one Xie Xing Seng in an invitational tournament. But she is beatable. I can beat her," said the player who had an otherwise superb week reaching the final.

The 14th seed Hyderabadi, who won the Philippines Open in May by beating then world number 4 Xu Huwain of Germany on the way, next plays the Seniors Asian Satellite in Mumbai from November 14 to 17 and then the Asian Games in Doha from December 2.