PETALING JAYA: India’s women’s singles shuttler PV Sindhu will miss this year’s All England Open Badminton Championships after being stranded in Dubai for several days.
The 2019 world champion decided to return to Bengaluru after her flight to Birmingham was cancelled while she was in transit in Dubai.
Sindhu was among thousands of passengers left stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since Saturday (Feb 28), after Dubai’s airspace closed following an attack by Iran.
“Back home in Bangalore and safe,” Sindhu wrote on her social media accounts.
The 30-year-old also expressed her appreciation to the Dubai authorities and ground staff who assisted her throughout the ordeal.
“The last few days have been intense and uncertain, but I’m truly grateful to be back home. A heartfelt thank you to the incredible ground teams, Dubai authorities, airport staff, immigration, and every single person who stepped up and took such good care of us during a very difficult time.
“The empathy and professionalism meant more than words can say. For now, it’s time to rest, reset, and figure out the next steps,” she added.
Sindhu had been scheduled to face Thailand’s Supanida Katethong in the opening round. Following her withdrawal, the spot was taken by Taiwan’s Hsu Wen-chi.
Back home in Bangalore and safeThe last few days have been intense and uncertain, but I’m truly grateful to be back to my house. A heartfelt thank you to the incredible ground teams, Dubai authorities, airport staff, immigration, and every single person who stepped up and…— Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) https://twitter.com/Pvsindhu1/status/ 2028700283715612938?ref_src= twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2026
