OFFICIAL: Former world No.1 Saina Nehwal announces retirement following 2 years sidelined by injury

The departure of Saina Nehwal marks the end of an era for global badminton. It has been nearly 2 years since the former world number one last stepped onto a competitive court. Her final appearance took place at the 2023 Singapore Open, where she faced Ratchanok Intanon in the opening round. In that high-stakes encounter, Nehwal fought valiantly but ultimately lost with a score of 13-21, 15-21. Following this match, the veteran shuttler disappeared from the international circuit to deal with a severe health crisis.

The primary reason for her absence was a catastrophic degeneration of the cartilage in her knees, leading to chronic arthritis. The severity was so extreme that the bone-on-bone friction made every movement a challenge. 

Recently, speaking on a podcast hosted by Subhojit Ghosh, Nehwal finally broke her silence to confirm that she could no longer endure the physical toll of the elite sport.

Addressing her departure, she stated: "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."

Despite her legendary status, Nehwal admitted that her body had reached its breaking point. She attempted to adjust her lifestyle and training to return to the court, but the reality of top-tier competition proved too demanding for her injured frame. 

She explained the heartbreaking decline in her physical capacity: "You train eight to nine hours to be the best in the world, now my knee was giving up in one or two hours. It was swelling and it became very tough to push after that. So I thought it’s enough. I can’t push it anymore."

Nehwal began her professional career in 2006 at the age of 16. Her golden era spanned from 2008 to 2018, during which she became a global phenomenon. 

Her greatest achievements include winning the Bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, securing Gold at the 2010 and 2018 Commonwealth Games, and reaching the World Championships final in 2015.

Recognized for her dominance, she reached the pinnacle of the sport by becoming the World No. 1 in 2015, a position she held periodically throughout that year. Off the court, her contributions were honored with India’s highest civilian and sporting awards, including the Padma Bhushan and the Khel Ratna, cementing her legacy as a true pioneer of Indian sport.