India's most famous badminton couple breaks up
Saina, the 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist, announced this on Instagram today. Saina and Kashyap tied the knot on Dec 14, 2018.
"Life takes us in different directions sometimes. After much thought and consideration, Kashyap Parupalli and I have decided to part ways," Saina posted.
"We're choosing peace, growth, and healing, for ourselves and each other. I'm grateful for the memories and wish nothing but the best moving forward.
"Thank you for understanding and respecting our privacy during this time."
Saina became India's first and only world junior champion in 2008. The former world No. 1 was the first player from her nation to finish on the badminton podium at the Olympics when she captured the bronze in 2012 London.
Saina also won a silver (2015) and a bronze (2017) at the World Championships and was a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist (2010, 2018).
Former world No. 6 Kashyap's highest accolade in his career was winning the 2014 Commonwealth Games men's singles gold.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Zii Jia pulls out of China Open as injury woes persist
KUALA LUMPUR: Olympic bronze medallist Lee Zii Jia's return to competition remains up in the air after he pulled out of next week's China Open. The 27-year-old had initially targeted the US Open in June for his comeback, but a right ankle injury forced a change of plans. He then hoped to make his return at the Japan Open this week, but that, too, failed to materialise. Attention now turns to whether Zii Jia can recover in time for the World Championships in Paris on August 25-31. His prolonged absence is a major blow, especially with the Malaysian currently ranked No. 27 in the real-time world rankings. Skipping back-to-back Super 750 events in Tokyo and Changzhou could see him slide out of the world's top 32 by next month. However, there is a silver lining - Zii Jia is eligible to compete using a protected ranking of No. 9. The special status, granted after he was injured at the All England in March, allows him to enter any World Tour event for up to six months upon his return. A recent black-and-white Instagram post by Zii Jia, featuring a series of sketch-like images with no captions, triggered concern among fans over his mental well-being. But National Sports Council director-general Jefri Ngadirin has moved to ease those fears. He confirmed that he had reached out to Zii Jia's camp and was assured the Olympic medallist is not in distress.
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Olympics-Flag football to make primetime Olympic debut at LA28
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Flag football will take center stage during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, after organizers confirmed the sport's medal matches will be held in primetime slots in its first-ever Olympic appearance. The International Federation of American Football (IFAF), in partnership with the National Football League (NFL), announced on Monday that the men's and women's medal games are scheduled for Friday evening, July 21, and Saturday afternoon, July 22, at BMO Stadium near downtown Los Angeles. The announcement comes as senior IFAF and NFL delegations visit Los Angeles for the first official meetings with Games organizers, marking exactly three years to the day before the LA28 Opening Ceremony. "Flag football will definitely be a hot ticket at the Games," IFAF President Pierre Trochet told Reuters on Monday. "We're going to be at a great stadium right in the heart of the city and we're going to have fantastic players on the field with NFL players available." Flag football is a non-contact variation of American football in which players wear flags attached to their waists. Instead of tackling, defensive players must remove a flag from the ball carrier to end a play. The sport is played on a smaller field with fewer players per side. The inclusion of flag football in LA28 follows a vote by NFL owners allowing NFL players to participate in the Olympic competition. Trochet said the primetime scheduling was a clear statement of a shared ambition to ensure flag football contributes a "defining element" of LA28's success. Organizers hope to capture the excitement of "Friday Night Lights," a cherished American tradition, and generate iconic moments for the sport's Olympic launch. "We could not dream of a better setup to start our debut in the Olympic movement and Olympic journey," he said. The IFAF delegation, including managing director Andy Fuller and senior NFL executives, is set to tour Exposition Park and other venues over a three-day visit. The group will also meet with key LA28 organizing committee members and attend the launch of a new NFL flag football brand campaign, which features Olympic gymnastics champion Jordan Chiles and flag football athletes from Australia and the U.S. (Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
Facing the storm alone
Eyes wide open: Jun Hao is bracing for a baptism of fire from the start in Tokyo, as he takes on defending champion and world No. 8 Alex Lanier of France. PETALING JAYA: Fire is the test of gold, and adversity, of strong men. This age-old saying rings true for national singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao, who is set to face a tough run of tournaments – the Japan and China Opens ahead of his debut in the World Championships from Aug 25-31 in Paris. The Japan Open starts today in Tokyo, followed by the China Open next week in Changzhou where most of the world's top 10 players will be competing. World No. 24 Jun Hao is Malaysia's sole representative in the men's singles following Lee Zii Jia's withdrawal, and the road ahead is anything but easy. Jun Hao will face a baptism of fire from the start in Tokyo, as he takes on defending champion and world No. 8 Alex Lanier of France in the opening round of the Japan Open. The 24-year-old will need to dig deep for a timely boost before the world meet and prove that he belongs on badminton's biggest stage. Singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen believes that the two Opens would be good preparation for Jun Hao for the world meet as he will face a similar challenge in Paris. 'I think the Japan and China Opens are quite important in our preparations for the World Championships,' said Kenneth. 'It will give us the best indication of what we need to go back and prepare for the remaining three weeks before the world meet. 'For me, the the world meet is the big event. Of course we want to do well in Japan and China but I'm there to gather more information on how to approach the world meet.' Jun Hao, who turned 26 on Sunday, has had a difficult first half of the year but Kenneth has seen positives in his charge's last two tournaments - the Singapore and Indonesian Opens - and hopes he can build on his showings. The 2017 Asian junior champion reached the quarter-finals in Singapore and second round in Indonesia. 'I have been trying to evaluate what has been working for Jun Hao recently. ''The court conditions in Japan are different from what we encountered in Singapore and Indonesia, so it's a slightly different approach we need to focus on,' said Kenneth. 'For me, it's basically to understand his own game and shot selection throughout like when to take the initiative and when to allow the opponent to try to open up his game. 'If we are too aggressive all the time, we kind of leave the court a little bit too open but I feel in both Singapore and Indonesia, he managed it really well. 'We've seen it a couple of times when he gets the shot selection correctly, he is a very tricky opponent for anybody to play against,' added Kenneth. Hopes are high that Jun Hao will come through the tests with flying colours.
