New Delhi: Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal will skip the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award ceremony to be held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan here on Sunday.
World number two Saina crashed out of the World Championship after losing her quarterfinal match to Chinese Shixian Wang on Friday in Paris.
"No I will not be available. I have written a letter to the sports ministry for that," she said through an email, when asked if she would be here to receive the award.
"I am proud to be named the most promising sportsperson of 2010. It will be a source of inspiration to me forever," she added.
Saina won a hat-trick of titles -- the Indian Open Grand Prix Open, Singapore Super Series and Indonesia Super Series -- to reach the world number two ranking and was one of the contenders for the World title.
"I'm sad. I wanted to do better but failed as the Chinese was much better than me. I knew where she was playing, still I was not reaching the target. At few occasions I was good. Yes I lost the bus," said the 20-year-old Hyderabadi.
Saina has been very consistent for the last two years and even in 2010, the Indian reached the semifinals of the All England Super Series and also performed well in the Uber Cup and Sudirman Cup.
The Hyderabadi was named the Khel Ratna awardee for her consistent performance, before being roped in as one of the brand ambassadors of the Commonwealth Games to be held here from October 3-14.
World number two Saina crashed out of the World Championship after losing her quarterfinal match to Chinese Shixian Wang on Friday in Paris.
"No I will not be available. I have written a letter to the sports ministry for that," she said through an email, when asked if she would be here to receive the award.
Saina won a hat-trick of titles -- the Indian Open Grand Prix Open, Singapore Super Series and Indonesia Super Series -- to reach the world number two ranking and was one of the contenders for the World title.
Advertisement
Saina has been very consistent for the last two years and even in 2010, the Indian reached the semifinals of the All England Super Series and also performed well in the Uber Cup and Sudirman Cup.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
"As A Sportsperson...": Sachin Tendulkar, Saina Nehwal Lead Wishes On Independence Day Branded "Kangana Ranaut Of Sports" For Neeraj Chopra Comment, Saina Nehwal Hits Back "It's Not About Will To Play, But...": Saina Nehwal On PV Sindhu Playing 2028 LA Olympics Life On Earth Originates From One Ancestor, Older Than Previously Believed Kolkata Rape-Murder: Fractures, 150 mg Semen, Other Claims Denied By Cops Siddaramaiah's Swipe At Governor Amid Calls For Resignation: 10 Points Bag With Chemical Catches Fire Before Being Loaded On Flight, 5 Arrested Part of Bihar Bridge Crashed Into Ganges River While Being "Dismantled" Elon Musk's X To Close Brazil Operations Over "Censorship Orders" Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.