According to the former top-ranked player, serious knee degeneration forced her to step away as demanding training was no longer feasible.
Indian badminton icon Saina Nehwal has officially confirmed her retirement from competitive badminton, citing long-standing knee problems that prevented her body from meeting the intense physical demands of elite sport. The former world No. 1 has been sidelined for nearly two years due to a chronic knee condition.
The 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist last appeared in competition at the Singapore Open in 2023 but chose not to make a formal retirement announcement at the time. Speaking on a podcast, Saina explained that she had quietly stepped away from the sport on her own terms.
“I stopped playing two years ago. I felt I entered the sport by my own choice and exited the same way, so I didn’t think an announcement was necessary,” she said. “When you are no longer capable of playing, that’s the end — and that’s okay.”
Saina revealed that severe degeneration in her knee forced her decision, as it became impossible to continue high-intensity training. She shared that medical assessments confirmed complete cartilage damage and arthritis, information she conveyed to her family and coaches.
“My cartilage had completely worn out and I was diagnosed with arthritis. I told them that it had become very difficult and that I probably couldn’t continue anymore,” she said.
The veteran shuttler reiterated that she believed her prolonged absence from tournaments would naturally signal her retirement. “Over time, people would understand that Saina isn’t playing anymore,” she added.
She further explained that even limited training sessions had become unbearable, making the decision unavoidable. Once able to train eight to nine hours a day to stay at the top, Saina said her knee now began swelling after just one or two hours of practice.
“I felt my time was up because I couldn’t push myself the way I used to. My knee simply wouldn’t allow it,” she said. “That’s when I realised it was enough — I couldn’t push anymore.”
Saina’s career was heavily affected by a serious knee injury sustained during the Rio 2016 Olympics. Despite making a strong comeback with a bronze medal at the 2017 World Championships and gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, persistent knee issues continued to hamper her progress.
In 2024, she disclosed that arthritis and complete cartilage loss in her knees had made it extremely challenging to train at the intensity required to compete at the highest level, bringing an end to one of Indian badminton’s most celebrated careers.
