Badminton: 'It is tough to qualify' - Saina Nehwal on Paris Olympics dreams, says retirement not on mind

India's badminton star Saina Nehwal has not given up on Paris Olympics dream, however, she admits it will be tough to qualify given her fitness concerns. It is to be noted that Saina has not played on the tour following her first-round exit at the Singapore Open in June considering her long-standing knee injury concerns. Thus, she is running against time to make it to the marquee event in Paris next year. She has also pulled out of the forthcoming Asian Games in China.

"I get inflammation in my knee whenever I train for an hour or two. I am not able to bend my knee so a second session of training is not possible. The doctors have given me a couple of injections. Of course, the Olympics is near and it is tough (to qualify),'' Saina told reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday.

''But I am trying my level best to come back. The physios are helping me but if the inflammation doesn't reduce, it will take a little more time to recover. I also don't want to play half-heartedly and results will also not come.

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"If you are thinking about the knee showing inflammation after a training, then in tournament also if it shows up after one round, then it will be a negative sign. I am trying to sort out that first. Playing is easy, to maintain the body, to not have any niggles is what is important. Hopefully, with the guidance of physios and Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, let's see how I recover and comeback. It all depends on practice," Saina further pointed out.

Notably, Sainahas slipped to No. 55 in women's singles badminton rankings. She is not even in the top 100 in the race to Paris rankings, having featured only in two tournaments since the Olympics qualification cycle kicked off early this year in May. In addition, the 33-year-old has not made it to the third round of any of the six competitions she has taken part inthe ongoing calendar year.

Despite her struggles, Saina isn't contemplating retirement anytime soon. The 2012 London Olympic medalist opened up on her future and made it clear that she is 'trying' to make a comeback to the game she loves and has been playing for years.

In this regard, Saina said, ''Everyone has to retire someday...there is no deadline. Everyone is going to stop when you feel the body is not supporting you.' But at the moment I am trying. As a sports person, it is my duty to try because I love the game and I have been playing for so many years.

''But if it doesn't happen, then it means, how much I have tried. I have done everything, I mean I shouldn't have any regrets. My target is not to play Asian Games or the Olympics because I have achieved a lot in those tournaments and of course, it could have been better if I would have been able to play, but let's see how it goes," sheadded.

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