India’s Nehwal to miss 2014 CWG

Women’s singles badminton champion cites lack of fitness as reason to opt out of next week’s Commonwealth Games.

Nehwal won gold in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi [AFP]

Commonwealth Games women’s singles badminton champion Saina Nehwal has pulled out of next week’s Glasgow Games due to lack of fitness and failure to recover sufficiently from blisters on her feet.

The Indian survived a match point in the 2010 final in New Delhi against Malaysia’s Wong Mew Choo to win the gold, which helped the hosts to second on the medals table, their best finish at the quadrennial multi-sportcompetition.

The London Olympic bronze medallist suffered blisters on her feet and a groin injury during her Australian Open Super Series victory in June.

“I just have a few issues like not being fit and during Australia I got the blisters and got injured. It took time for me to recover and so I am withdrawing from the CWG,” the 24-year-old told Reuters in a text message.

“I thought I could at least be fit for the next two events (World Championships and Asian Games). After Australia I didn’t get enough time to train because of the issues with my leg.”

The July 23-Aug 3 event will also be without both defending men’s singles champion as Malaysia’s world number one Lee Chong Wei was ruled out with a thigh injury earlier this month.

Lee, the two-time defending Commonwealth Games champion aggravated an injury he suffered during the Thomas Cup and was admitted to hospital for treatment.

Source: Reuters