PV Sindhu Stranded In Dubai, Will Miss All England Championships

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI – Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu is set to miss the All England Open Super 1000 tournament starting March 3 after being stranded in Dubai following airspace closures in the Gulf region amid U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

According to Press Trust of India, Sindhu was stuck at Dubai airport since February 28 after flights were suspended. She and her team, including Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama, were moved to a secure location after an explosion occurred near their place of stay.

Sindhu was scheduled to face Thailand’s Supanida Katethong in the opening round in Birmingham. With Dubai airport and airspace remaining closed, she will be forced to pull out of the tournament.

The Badminton World Federation said it is maintaining “real-time oversight of the situation and standing ready to assist delegations experiencing delays or route changes.” It added that this includes “reviewing and preparing potential contingencies within the competition schedule should any players experience delayed arrival.”

Some Indian players have reached Birmingham via alternate routes, including through Singapore and Africa.

Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty arrived without travel issues. Lakshya, a former semifinalist and runner-up at the event, faces world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi of China in the opening round. Ayush, the US Open Super 300 champion, takes on Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan, having lost three of their five previous meetings, including the most recent at the Indonesia Masters in January.

Prakash Padukone (1980) and Pullela Gopichand (2001) remain the only Indians to have won the All-England title. Saina Nehwal (2015 runner-up) and Lakshya Sen (2022 runner-up) have come closest in recent years.