India, Jan. 20 -- Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal has confirmed her retirement from competitive badminton after a prolonged battle with a chronic knee condition that kept her sidelined for the last two years. The 2012 London Olympic bronze medallist said her body can no longer cope with the physical demands of elite sport. Her last professional appearance came at the 2023 Singapore Open, though she did not formally announce her retirement at the time.

"I had stopped playing two years back. I actually felt that I entered the sport on my own terms and left on my own terms, so there was no need to announce it," Saina said on a podcast. "If you are not capable of playing anymore, that's it. It's fine."

Saina explained that she decided to s...