PV Sindhu, Sameer Verma pull out of World Junior Badminton Championships

In a major setback to India’s chances, rising stars PV Sindhu and Sameer Verma have withdrawn from the World Junior Badminton Championships to be held in Chiba, Japan, from October 25 to November 3. While Sindhu picked up a knee injury at the Super Series event in China last month, Verma hurt his ankle.

“Sindhu won’t be participating. She hurt her knee in China and Japan and played with the injury at the senior nationals in Srinagar. She then got an MRI done the doctor advised her to take some rest,” said chief national coach P Gopichand, who is also the 17-year-old’s mentor. Verma, also 17, had lost in the semifinals of the same event last year, in Taipei.

“Even if I go, I can’t give my 100%. I asked Gopi sir and he said if I can’t give 100% and after going there, lose in first round, it means a lot. Right now, I am taking rest,” a disappointed Sindhu told DNA. Despite the injury, Sindhu reached the final of the senior nationals in Srinagar. “I am disappointed I could not retain the title. Because of the pain, I could not give 100%.”

Sindhu, who dropped one place (21) in the BWF women’s singles rankings released on Thursday, said she will start working out next week. “Maybe I will start training slowly from Monday or Tuesday with standing strokes and see how the pain is.”

Meanwhile, India are grouped with Thailand, Finland and Bulgaria in Group ‘W2’. The team events for the Suhandinata Cup  will be held between October 25 and 28. The individual events commence on October 30 and end on November 3.