Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal set to miss the Asian Games trials due to fitness concerns

Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal has decided to skip the upcoming Asian Games selection trials due to fitness issues. Nehwal, who is a two-time Commonwealth Games champion will not be taking part in the selection trials.

The Badminton Association of India (BAI) will be conducting trials from May 4 to 7 at the Jwala Gutta Academy of Excellence in Telangana as they intend to pick a team for the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou from September 23 to October 8.

“Saina Nehwal will not be participating as she has some fitness issues. Also, the men’s pair of Kushal Raj and Prakash Raj has withdrawn from the trials,” BAI Secretary Sanjay Mishra told PTI. Nehwal last featured at the Orleans Masters in France. Mishra assured that the rest of the players are all set to compete for the spots.

Nehwal has had her fair share of challenges with injuries. They have hindered her growth as a shuttler as she even missed the trails for the Badminton Asia Mixed Team championship in January and even skipped the Commonwealth Games trials last year.

BAI directly selected the likes of double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy, the recent Asian Championship gold medallist duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty and the women’s pairing of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand as they are already in the top 20 BWF Rankings based on the list on April 18.

The national federation have selected some of the players who will take part in the trials. Former World No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth will take part in the trials along with the likes of Orleans Masters champion Priyangshu Rajawat, Commonwealth Games champion Lakshya Sen and national champion Mithun Manjunath. Tokyo Olympian B Sai Praneeth is also on the list of nine men’s singles players who will fight it out for the spots.

Aakarshi Kashyap Malvika Bansod, Ashmita Chaliha, and Unnati Hooda are among the women’s singles players to fight it out for a spot in the Asian Games. Three players will be selected from either category along with one men’s doubles pairing and one women’s doubles pairing. MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila should have an edge over others in Men’s Doubles. Whereas, Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponappa will be favourites in the women’s doubles category.

Two mixed doubles pairings will also be selected from the trials for the upcoming Asian Games.