Saina Nehwal. file. , Photo Credit: RV Murthy
Two-time Commonwealth Games champion Saina Nehwal will skip the national badminton selection trials for the upcoming Asian Games due to fitness reasons.
The Badminton Association of India (BAI) will hold trials from May 4 to 7 at the Jwala Gutta Academy of Excellence in Telangana to select the team for the prestigious tournament to be held in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8.
BAI secretary Sanjay Mishra said, “Saina Nehwal will not participate as she has some fitness issues. Along with this, the male pair of Kushal Raj and Prakash Raj has also withdrawn from the trials. PTI,
“However, the rest of the players who were invited for trials will compete for spots this week.” Saina last played at the Orleans Masters. The former world number one, who has been battling injuries for some time, did not take part in the trials for the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships in January. She had also missed the Commonwealth Games trials last year.
The BAI has named double Olympic medalists PV Sindhu (world No. 11), HS Prannoy (world No. 9), men’s pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (world No. 6) and women’s pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand (world No. 6). directly selected. No. 19) for the Asian Games “based on his position in the BWF Top 20 ranking list as on 18 April”.
The national federation had released the list of players for the Asian Games selection trials on April 22, with April 28 as the deadline for confirmation.
World Championships silver and bronze medalist Kidambi Srikanth (world No. 23) and Commonwealth Games champion Lakshya Sen (world No. 24), Orleans Masters Super 300 winner Priyanshu Rajawat, national champion Mithun Manjunath and Tokyo Olympian B Sai Praneeth are among the nine men in action. Are. Singles players will have to give tough competition in the trials.
In women’s singles, Akashi Kashyap, Malvika Bansod, Ashmita Chaliha, Unnati Hooda will be among the women’s singles players present in the trials. Three players will be selected for men’s singles and women’s singles, while two mixed doubles pairs and one men’s doubles and one women’s doubles pair will be selected from the trials.