A morale-boosting title win in Malaysia Masters secured, fit-again Indian badminton ace Saina Nehwal will now take a small break to continue her rehab and is likely to be seen in action at the German Open in February-March.
Saina won the Grand Prix Gold event in Malaysia on Sunday, her first title after a career-threatening knee injury, that had derailed her Olympic campaign in Rio.
Asked if she would play any tournament ahead of the all-important All England Championship, Saina said: "Most probably German Grand Prix Gold, it depends on my fitness and how good I feel. I need a few good weeks to be at my best which I didn't get after I recovered from rehab."
Saina, who won the silver at All England and World Championship in 2015, said she doesn't want to exert herself as that might result in another injury. "I just came out of such a major injury and I can't push my knee with back-to-back tournaments and get injured again," said Saina.
Saina skips tourney
Saina Nehwal's decision to give it a miss has taken away some sheen but Olympic silver-medallist PV Sindhu will ensure that Syed Modi International is not short of star power when the Grand Prix Gold event gets underway with the qualifiers here on Tuesday.
On the other hand, it has been a dream run for Sindhu in international circuit ever since the Indian clinched the Olympic silver medal at the Rio Olympics in August. The 21-year-old continued her rampaging run as she sealed her maiden Super Series title at China Open Premier, before reaching the finals at Hong Kong Open and qualifying for the prestigious BWF Dubai Super Series Finals in December last year.