Saina Nehwal injury update: Indian badminton star loses and injures hip on 31st birthday

Indian ace shuttler Saina Nehwal was forced to drop out of the All England Badminton Championships on Wednesday after she seemingly sustained a hip injury. Notably, Nehwal turned 31 on the same day even as she had to suffer a major setback following the injury in the opening round match against Denmark ace Mia Blichfeldt. 

Saina Nehwal injury update: Shuttler sustains hip injury

Saina Nehwal was already trailing in the match after losing the initial two games 8-21, 4-10 when she decided to walk up to the chair to declare her inability to continue. Notably, the 31-year-old was seen struggling since the very start of the match, coupled with errors when she went on to lose five points straight at the interval in the first game.

The day turned out to be worrisome for Saina Nehwal, who was making her 15th straight appearance in the All England Badminton Championships. Trouble began to simmer for the Indian shuttler in the second game as she decided to withdraw following pain in her right thigh. 

Saina Nehwal latest: Saina Nehwal retirement on cards?

Amid the Saina Nehwal injury update, it is pertinent to note that she has struggled for fine form on the badminton court since the turn of the calendar year. Nehwal, who is currently ranked 30th in the world, was knocked out from the second round of the Yonex Thailand Open in January. Criticism mounted on her further after she could not edge past the first round in the Toyota Thailand Open.

Amid a struggling start to the year coupled with the Saina Nehwal latest form, her immediate future looks grim. Commentator Gill Clark, who was closely observing Saina Nehwal's struggles during the match, would go on to wonder if the Saina Nehwal retirement is on the cards. Although the Saina Nehwal Instagram posts do indicate a desire to continue. 

Saina Nehwal husband and how did other Indian shuttlers fare?

Meanwhile, World no. 7 PV Sindhu progressed in the competition after winning over Malaysia's Soniia Cheah in the first round on Wednesday. Sindhu won the clash 21-11, 21-17 in 39 minutes. Meanwhile. men's badminton player Kidambi Srikanth was forced out of the men's singles in the All England Open Badminton Championships alongwith Saina Nehwal husband Parupalli Kashyap.

Srikanth lost out to Ireland shuttler Nhat Nguyen 10-21, 21-15, 12-21. After losing out the first game 10-21, Srikanth struggled again initially in the first half of the second game as well but produced an epic comeback to win the game 21-15. However, he could not survive the brilliance of the 20-year-old Irish youngster in the third game, losing out 12-21. 

Image courtesy: PTI