Saina Nehwal Confirms Retirement, India Badminton Star Says 'My Knee Was Giving Up' (Watch Video)

Saina Nehwal, the first Indian badminton player to win an Olympic medal, has formally confirmed her retirement from competitive sport. The 35-year-old former world number one revealed that a chronic knee condition, which has kept her off the court since 2023, eventually made it impossible to meet the physical demands of elite badminton. Saina Nehwal Posts Picture With Parupalli Kashyap Weeks After Announcing Separation, Says ‘We Are Trying Again’ (See Post).

Nehwal, who last competed at the Singapore Open in 2023, made the announcement during a recent podcast, ending months of speculation regarding her future. "I had stopped playing two years back," she said. "I felt that I entered the sport on my own terms and left on my own terms."

The decision was primarily driven by severe medical issues. Nehwal disclosed that she has been diagnosed with arthritis and total degeneration of the cartilage in her knees. This condition made it impossible to maintain the rigorous training schedule required to compete at the international level.

"To be the best in the world, you train for eight to nine hours," Nehwal explained. "Now, my knee was giving up in one or two hours. It would swell up, and it became very tough to push after that." Despite her desire to continue, she informed her parents and coaches that her body could no longer endure the strain.

Saina Nehwal Confirms Retirement

Nehwal’s career is widely regarded as the catalyst for the modern "badminton revolution" in India. Born in Hisar and trained in Hyderabad, she first gained international attention by winning the World Junior Championships in 2008.

Her landmark achievement came at the London 2012 Olympics, where she secured a bronze medal in the women’s singles. This victory broke a significant barrier for Indian badminton, proving that the nation could compete with the traditional powerhouses of China and Southeast Asia.

Saina Nehwal Achievements

Beyond her Olympic success, Nehwal’s resume includes more than 24 international titles. Key highlights include

World Number One: In 2015, she became the first Indian woman to reach the top of the BWF world rankings.

Commonwealth Games: She won two individual gold medals (2010 and 2018), famously defeating compatriot PV Sindhu in the 2018 final.

Major Honours: She is the only Indian to have won a medal in every BWF major individual event, including the World Championships and World Junior Championships.

For her contributions to sport, she was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, alongside the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and the Arjuna Award.

Nehwal’s struggle with injuries began in earnest during the Rio 2016 Olympics, where a knee injury hampered her performance. While she staged a remarkable comeback to win World Championship bronze in 2017 and Commonwealth gold in 2018, the recurring issues eventually led to her quiet departure from the circuit.

She noted that she did not feel the need for a grand announcement at the time she stopped playing, believing her absence from tournaments would eventually signal the end of her journey. With her retirement now official, she leaves a legacy that paved the way for a new generation of Indian shuttlers.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 20, 2026 02:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).