‘Your influence will be felt for generations’: Tendulkar pays heartfelt tribute to Saina Nehwal

New Delhi: Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar paid a heartfelt tribute to badminton icon Saina Nehwal on Thursday, following her retirement from the sport after an illustrious career.

Saina, who has been sidelined for the last two years due to a chronic knee condition, confirmed her retirement from competitive badminton on Tuesday.

The star shuttler, while announcing her retirement, said that she can’t cope with the physical demands of elite sport.

Two days after her retirement, Tendulkar posted a heartfelt note on his official X handle and lauded Saina’s achievements and contributions to the Indian sporting landscape.

Tendulkar wrote: “Dear Saina, your career is proof that greatness is built one day at a time, with patience, courage, and consistency. You carried Indian badminton to the world stage and showed that belief, when matched with preparation, can change the course of a sport. Beyond the medals lies your greatest achievement.

“Inspiring young athletes across the country to believe that global success is possible. Every sporting journey evolves, and while one phase ends, another begins. One where your experience, perspective, and love for the game will continue to guide many. Thank you for everything you’ve given to Indian sport. Your influence will be felt for generations.”

Dear Saina, your career is proof that greatness is built one day at a time, with patience, courage, and consistency.

You carried Indian badminton to the world stage and showed that belief, when matched with preparation, can change the course of a sport.

Beyond the medals lies… pic.twitter.com/bMdYbxOeQ5

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) January 22, 2026

A glowing career hampered by injuries

The 2012 London Olympic bronze medallist last featured in a competitive match at the Singapore Open two years back in 2023, but did not formally announce her retirement back then.

“I had stopped playing two years back. I actually felt that I entered the sport on my own terms and left on my own terms, so there was no need to announce it,” Saina said on a podcast.

“If you are not capable of playing anymore, that’s it. It’s fine.”

The former world No. 1 explained that the reason behind her decision was a severe degeneration of her knee.

Once regarded as the greatest women’s shuttler, Saina failed to fulfil her full potential due to a career-threatening knee injury sustained at the Rio 2016 Olympics. Though she bounced back strongly to win a World Championships bronze in 2017 and the Commonwealth Games gold in 2018, recurring knee issues hampered her progress.