Saina doubtful for Modi GP

Her exhaustive run at last week's World Super Series,where he finished runners-up,might see Saina Nehwal withdraw from the Syed Modi Memorial International GP Gold Championships that starts on Tuesday.

Her exhaustive run at last week’s World Super Series,where he finished runners-up,might see Saina Nehwal withdraw from the Syed Modi Memorial International GP Gold Championships that starts on Tuesday here. Saina’s father Harvir Singh said that her daughter,citing her busy schedule,had informed the Badminton Association of India (BAI) officials,through e-mail in the first-week of December,about her desire the skip to the event.

We have a great respect for the tournament as it is organised in memory of badminton great Syed Modi. She can be there to witness the tournament but participation could be very taxing for Saina.

She really played with all her might to reach BWF World Super Series final there. She cannot afford to keep playing like a machine because excessive play can also lead to injuries. Her main target is to shine for India at the 2012 Olympics, he said.

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He went to add that Saina was scheduled to play the Korea Open Super Series from January 3 to 8 followed by the Malaysia Open Super Series from January 10. However,the organisers have maintained along that Nehwal will be playing in the tournament. A media handout from the organiser mentioned that Saina can be seen in action on Wednesday

Meanwhile,defending champion Chetan Anand has already withdrawn from the event. BAI general secretary and organising secretary of the tournament Dr Vijai Sinha said,Chetan will not be playing in the tournament as he is injured. Tournament official Girish Natu informed that Hongyan Pi of France,who was the sixth seed in the women’s singles,too has pulled out.

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