India’s badminton star Saina Nehwal has confirmed her retirement, revealing a chronic knee condition and arthritis left her unable to meet elite demands. The 2012 Olympic bronze medallist last played in 2023 and said she stepped away quietly on her own terms. Persistent knee degeneration, worsened since a Rio 2016 injury, ultimately ended her career. India’s badminton star Saina Nehwal has confirmed her retirement, revealing a chronic knee condition and arthritis left her unable to meet elite demands. The 2012 Olympic bronze medallist last played in 2023 and said she stepped away quietly on her own terms. Persistent knee degeneration, worsened since a Rio 2016 injury, ultimately ended her career.
