Badminton: Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap head towards divorce

The Indian badminton power couple Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap are heading towards a divorce, the 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist revealed on Sunday.

Nehwal and Kashyap, both once trainees at the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad, had tied the knot back in 2018.

"Life takes us in different directions sometimes," Nehwal wrote in an Instagram story. "After much thought and consideration, Kashyap Parupalli and I have decided to part ways.

"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," she added.

While Nehwal made the couple's decision public, Kashyap is yet to make a statement.

Nehwal and Kashyap were Indian badminton's most recognised couple.

While Nehwal had clinched the women's singles bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics and reached a high of world No 1 during her peak, Kashyap had bagged the men's singles gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Kashyap had announced retirement in January last year and has since moved transitioned into coaching.

Though Nehwal is yet to officially call time on her playing career, her last competitive appearance came way back in June 2023, when she suffered a first round exit from the Singapore Open Super 750.