Odisha Open 2022: Saina Nehwal, Parupalli Kashyap’s names withdrawn on eve of badminton tournament

Former world No. 1 badminton player Saina Nehwal and her husband Parupalli Kashyap will not participate at the inaugural Odisha Open 2022 badminton tournament, which started on Tuesday.

Both the former Olympians were originally the top seeds in the women’s and men’s singles at the Super 100 tournament. However, the updated draw on Tuesday saw several players getting a walkover after withdrawals. 

While the reason for Saina Nehwal’s absence hasn’t been revealed, Parupalli Kashyap clarified on Twitter that he was injured and expected to get match-fit by March-April. 

The former Commonwealth Games champion had suffered a calf injury in December during an all India senior ranking tournament in Hyderabad.

Other notable players missing from the updated draw were the top Indian women’s pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy. As a result of the withdrawals, several players slated to play qualifying matches advanced to the main draw.

Meanwhile, Chirag Sen, elder brother of badminton world championships bronze medal winner Lakshya Sen, and India’s first-ever world No. 1 junior shuttler Tasnim Mir progressed to the round of 32 in the men’s and women’s singles, respectively, on Tuesday.

While Chirag Sen won the opening round match 21-18, 21-15 in 29 minutes against Varun Kapur, 16-year-old Tasnim Mir was given a bye and will take on her senior compatriot Keyura Mopati on Wednesday.

Other notable players to be seen in action on Wednesday will be the mixed doubles pair of Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto and men’s singles player Mithun Manjunath. 

Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto had won their maiden Super 300 title at last week’s Syed Modi International.

In the women’s singles, upcoming youngsters Malvika Bansod and Ashmita Chaliha will start as favourites in the absence of other top players. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, meanwhile, will be favourites in the women’s doubles.