‘I left on my own terms': Saina Nehwal confirms quiet exit from badminton after long knee battle
PTC Web Desk: India’s most celebrated badminton icon, Saina Nehwal, has officially confirmed that she has stepped away from competitive badminton, bringing the curtain down on a glittering career that spanned nearly two decades. The 2012 Olympic bronze medallist revealed that a chronic knee condition has left her physically incapable of continuing at the highest level.
Although Saina last appeared on the professional circuit at the 2023 Singapore Open, she chose not to make a public announcement at the time, believing her absence was explanation enough.
‘I left on my own terms,’ Says Saina
Speaking on a recent podcast, the 35-year-old explained why she never felt the need to formally declare her retirement. “I had already stopped playing two years ago,” Saina said. “I felt I entered the sport on my own terms and exited the same way. If your body doesn’t allow you to compete anymore, you accept it and move on.”
She added that she did not see retirement as a moment that required validation through an announcement.
Degenerative knee condition forced the decision
Saina revealed that her decision became final after doctors diagnosed her with severe cartilage degeneration and arthritis in her knee, making intense training impossible. “My cartilage is completely worn out. I have arthritis,” she said. “That was something my parents and coaches needed to understand. I told them honestly that I probably couldn’t push my body anymore.”
The condition, she admitted, has made even routine training sessions a challenge.
Injury struggles after a remarkable comeback
Knee issues have haunted Saina since the latter part of her career. The injury first posed a major threat during the 2016 Rio Olympics, raising doubts about her future in the sport. However, she silenced critics with a strong return, clinching a bronze medal at the 2017 World Championships and winning gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Despite the resurgence, recurring pain and physical limitations continued to interrupt her momentum in the years that followed.
‘People will realise I’m not playing anymore’
Saina maintained that she never viewed her retirement as a dramatic turning point.
“People will slowly realise that I’m not playing,” she said. “I didn’t think it was such a big issue. My time was up because my knee just couldn’t take the load like before.”
Saina Nehwal remains one of the most influential figures in Indian sport. From becoming India’s first Olympic medallist in badminton to achieving the world No. 1 ranking, her journey inspired a generation of shuttlers, especially women, to take up the game professionally.
- With inputs from agencies
