PETALING JAYA: Indian women’s singles shuttler Saina Nehwal (pic) has called time on her playing career after two years away from the sport.
The 2015 World Championships silver medallist announced her retirement during a podcast interview in India, explaining that long-standing injury problems had prevented her from returning to competitive action.
The 35-year-old former world No. 1 said she has been battling a chronic knee condition and felt the time had come to hang up her racquet, as her body is no longer able to cope as it did during her prime.
Last year, Saina revealed that she was suffering from arthritis and complete cartilage wear in her knees.
“I had stopped playing two years back. I actually felt that I entered the sport on my own terms and left on my own terms, so there was no need to announce it. If you are not capable of playing anymore, that’s it. It’s fine.
“My cartilage has totally degenerated, and I have arthritis. That’s what my parents and coaches needed to know. I just told them, ‘Now, probably I can’t do it anymore. It is difficult.’
“Slowly, people will also realise that Saina is not playing. I didn’t think it was such a big matter to announce my retirement. I just felt my time was up because I couldn’t push much, my knee is not able to push like before,” said Saina.
Her knee problems began during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where Saina suffered an early group stage exit despite arriving in Brazil as the reigning bronze medallist from the London 2012 edition.
From that point on, the injury continued to plague both her career and her form.
Nevertheless, Saina can take pride in a glittering career spanning two decades at the highest level.
Among her achievements, Saina became the first Indian women’s singles player to reach world No. 1 in 2015, and later that year in Jakarta, she also created history by becoming the first Indian woman to reach the World Championships final, where she eventually lost to Spain’s Carolina Marin.
