Saina to skip Syed Modi GP, Sindhu eyes another title

LUCKNOW, January 23

Saina Nehwal’s decision to give Syed Modi International tournament a miss has taken some sheen away from the meet but PV Sindhu will ensure that the event is not short of star power when it gets underway with the qualifiers tomorrow.

Fresh from her comeback win in Malaysia, Saina, a three-time winner here, has opted out to take rest. “No, I am not playing as it was a tough three weeks for me after the PBL and Malaysia Open. I am still not 100 percent with my knee strength. I need some more time to be fully fit,” Saina said.

On the other hand, Sindhu will face Anura Prabhudesai in the opening round and is likely to clash with fourth seed Fitriani in the semifinals if she doesn’t suffer any hiccups. — PTI