Saina Nehwal Retires: Knee Injury Ends Legendary Career

Saina Nehwal, India’s badminton legend, has retired from competitive play due to chronic knee problems. She confirmed this recently, saying her body could no longer handle the sport’s demands after her last match at the 2023 Singapore Open.

Saina Nehwal’s retirement marks the end of an era for Indian badminton. The 36-year-old shuttler stopped playing two years ago because of severe knee degeneration and arthritis. Her cartilage wore out completely, making even short training sessions painful and impossible.

She shared on a podcast that she entered the sport on her terms and left the same way, without a big announcement. “I can’t push it anymore,” she said. Training 8-9 hours daily was her norm, but her knees swelled after just 1-2 hours. Her last event was the 2023 Singapore Open. Injuries hit hard after 2016 Rio Olympics, though she bounced back with a 2017 World bronze and 2018 Commonwealth gold.

Saina’s journey began young in Haryana. She became a household name with her 2012 Olympic bronze, India’s first in badminton. As former World No.1, she won majors like the Indonesia Open multiple times. Off-court, she focused on fitness and coaching kids, rejecting politics.

Fans and peers praise her grit. She inspired millions, proving small-town girls can reach global peaks. Now, Saina plans to promote badminton through academies. Her legacy lives on as India’s shuttle queen who smashed barriers.

Key Career Records

World No. 1 Ranking: Achieved in April 2015 (first Indian woman shuttler).
Olympic Medal: Bronze at London 2012.
World Championships: Silver (2015), Bronze (2017).
Commonwealth Games: Gold (2018 women’s singles), Silver (2010 team), Bronze (2014 singles).
Asian Games: Bronze (2018 women’s singles).
BWF Super Series: Won 11 titles, including Indonesia Open (3 times), Singapore Open.
Total Titles: Over 24 international titles.