Leg blisters force Saina Nehwal to skip Glasgow

Blisters on the leg of India’s star badminton player, Saina Nehwal, has resulted in the World No.7 pulling out of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Saina picked up the blisters during the Australian Open Super Series, a tournament she had won.

“It is an extremely difficult decision, but an important one,” Saina said on Friday. “I had suffered a groin injury during the first round in Australia and then there were those blisters on my leg but I still won the title. After I came back, I had two and a half weeks but I took one week to recover, so hardly got a week to train. So, I decided to pull out. It’s heartbreaking for me as well,” she said.

The Olympic bronze medallist, who is believed to be  suffering from a knee injury as well, said she had to take the decision of withdrawing from the Glasgow Games in order to get fit for the rest of the season which includes important tournaments like the World Championship and the Asian Games.”

“I had started practicing and hoped that I could still go and play, but then I didn’t want to exert myself. I don’t want to risk an injury again. I have to be fit for the rest of the season. There are two more important and equally big tournaments coming up next — the World Championship and Asian Games. So I had to take a call,” Saina added.