India's Badminton Ace Saina Nehwal Officially Retires: 'Can't Push it Anymore'

Saina Nehwal Retires: In a stunning move, India's badminton star Saina Nehwal threw in the towel officially. Saina, who is an Olympic medalist, confessed that her body is unable to take the grind anymore and that is the reason why she has decided to quit. 

After two years of staying away from the court, Saina called time officially on a podcast on Monday night. The former World No. 1 also claimed that she entered the sport on her terms and is leaving on her own terms as well. 

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“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,” Saina said on a podcast.

“If you are not capable of playing anymore, that’s it. It’s fine,” she added.

She also admitted that her cartiledge has totally degenerated and that she also has arthritis and hence believes she cannot do it anymore.

"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, that my knee is not able to push like before," she added further.

Saina's Inspiring Career

The Padma Bhushan-winner won multiple international and national trophies over the course of her decade-long career. She was also the first India woman player to become World No. 1. She became the No. 1 player in the world in 2015. 

She also became the first woman from India to be crowned as a Super Series champion when she won the Indonesia Open in 2009.

Apart from all the laurels and awards that she won, her biggest achievement is the way she inspired millions to take to the sport and became a face of women empowerment in the country.