Covid-19 surge blow to Saina Nehwal, Kidambi Srikanth

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 19

In a big setback to both Kidambi Srikanth and Saina Nehwal, the India Open badminton tournament, an Olympics qualifying meet, was today postponed due to big spurt in Covid-19 cases in India.

The World Tour Super 500 event was to start behind closed doors here from May 11, but the surge in Covid cases in India forced the Badminton Association of India (BAI) to postpone it.

Withdrawals by high-profile shuttlers including reigning Olympics champion Carolina Marin, Ratchanok Intanon and BWF World Tour Finals champion Anders Antonsen had raised a question mark about the tournament’s viability.

“Considering the current challenges, BAI is left with no option but to announce the postponement of the tournament for the time being,” BAI secretary general Ajay Singhania said.

BAI said that the tournament had 228 entries which would rise to over 300 by including support staff and officials, and there was no point in putting them at risk.

It is the second time in two years that the tournament has been postponed. Fresh dates will be announced by BWF once the situation improves, Singhania said.

Ranking points

The tournament’s postponement is a big blow to Saina and Srikanth as they were looking at grabbing vital ranking points to get into the world top-16 in rankings, which would have earned them automatic qualification for the Tokyo Olympics.