Olympic Star Saina Nehwal Announces Retirement, Cites Chronic Knee Injury

• Veteran Indian shuttler and Olympic medalist Saina Nehwal has officially announced her retirement from competitive badminton.
• Nehwal confirmed her decision in a podcast, revealing her body can no longer handle the demands of high-level play due to a severe knee injury.
• She won a historic bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics and played her last match at the 2023 Singapore Open.
• Saina suffered a major knee injury at the 2016 Rio Olympics, which recurred despite her comebacks, including a 2018 Commonwealth Games gold.
• She disclosed in 2024 that she has knee arthritis with completely worn-out cartilage, making it impossible to continue in the sport.

Why It Matters: Badminton legend Saina Nehwal retires due to chronic knee issues, ending a decorated 35-year career.