Carolina Marin broke Indian hearts as the World No.1 beat second seed Saina Nehwal in straight game to lift the World Championships title in Jakarta.
The Indian second seed got off to fast starts in both games but Marin was adept at stringing together quick points and she rallied each time to register a convincing 21-16, 21-19.
Both players produced high-quality badminton befitting of a world final but play was often halted by Chinese umpire Zheng Sanliang, who appeared to be involved in the action as much as the players.
Saina had incidentally lost to the Spaniard in the All England Championships final earlier this year.
Marin managed to take lead after Saina sunk an easy return into the net.
Placed comfortably at 11-8 when the lemon break was taken, Carolina made it 15-9.
Saina found it tough to deal with Marin’s pace and fell apart in the challenge. Saina was so rattled by Marin that he couldn’t counter on her potent weapon – the smashes.
Down 13-20, Saina held on for a few points before Carolina closed out the first game when the Indian hit one wide after 24 minutes.
Saina Nehwal's father Harvir Singh said the pressure of playing in her maiden Badminton World Championships final could have led to the Indian ace's defeat.
"I believe it was a psychological factor, she might have lost her concentration thinking she had to win," Harvir told reporters in Hyderabad.
"It's marvellous (Saina winning the silver). Saina tried her best but Marin is a little stronger. There is still a lot of badminton left in Saina and she will surely come back stronger. She needs to learn more skills and stay fit,” he added.
Fellow sportspersons Jwala Gutta and former India cricket captain Anil Kumble congratulated the 25-year-old shuttler.
"Tough luck. First silver ever proud moment for badminton in India!!!" Gutta wrote on his twitter handle.
Kumble said: "Well played. Really proud of you. Goodfight! Bad luck today! Lost to a better player on the day!"
Sports Authority of India (SAI) tweeted, "We are proud of you, as we get our first Silver medallist at the World Championship. So proud of you."
This was India's fifth medal at the World Championship after P V Sindhu clinched the bronze twice in 2013 and 2014 and Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa notched up a bronze in women's doubles at the 2011 edition.
Legendary shuttler Prakash Padukone was the first Indian to win a bronze at the 1983 edition.
