Saina Nehwal is "thinking about retirement" due to her knee arthritis
Saina Nehwal, a former Olympic bronze medallist and ace shuttler from India, has disclosed that she suffers from arthritis. She will need to make a decision about her badminton career by the end of the year, as her condition prevents her from training during regular hours.
Prior to being hindered by injury, the 34-year-old former world No. 1 shuttler—who became the first Indian to win an Olympic medal with her bronze in London 2012—participated in three Games. The gold medallist from the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and 2018 stated that she can no longer ignore the truth that her career is coming to an end.
"The knee isn't in great shape. My condition is arthritis. My cartilage is in poor condition. On the 'House of Glory' podcast, which is hosted by shooting legend Gagan Narang—who served as India's chef-de-mission during the previous Olympics in Paris—Nehwal stated that it is extremely challenging to push for eight nine hours.
Although Nehwal acknowledged that she will ultimately need to answer a call, she said she is still thinking about the effects retirement will have on her.
The ground-breaking talent didn't play in the Singapore Open for over a year, losing in the first round. Nehwal also discussed the strain of expectations, saying that as a professional athlete, she has experienced it from both fans and loved ones.
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