Saina Nehwal resumes badminton practice, may play China Open next month

New Delhi: Star Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal will return to competitive action at the China Open next month following a successful recovery from the knee injury that derailed her Olympic campaign. [caption id=“attachment_3062824” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Saina Nehwal sustained an injury that resulted in her group-stage exit from the 2016 Rio Olympics. AP[/caption] Nehwal, who resumed match practice this week, would vie for the honours at the China Open starting 12 November, according to her father Harvir Singh. Nehwal, currently ranked fifth in BWF world rankings, was the runners-up in China Open last year and the winner in the year before that. Nehwal, who has recently been appointed a member of the International Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission, will not be able to attend the next meeting of the panel, slated to be held on 6 November, due to her participation in the China Open, Singh told PTI here. Nehwal had sustained an intra-articular injury (inside the joint) to her right knee and had lost in the Group Stage in the Rio Olympics. She underwent a surgery for the injury and was on a rehab process for recovery.