With Saina, you don't know what will happen in four years: U Vimal Kumar

Saina Nehwal's injury came at "the wrong time", said her coach U Vimal Kumar as the ace shuttler enters a rehabilitation programme following her surgery in Mumbai on August 20.

Just when the entire nation was pinning hopes on Saina to give India the first medal at the Rio Olympics, especially after disappointing results from the shooters and archers came the news of the chipped bone in Saina's knee. Kumar told dna from Bengaluru that the 26-year-old shuttler would not have travelled to Rio had she known the "seriousness of the injury before the departure".

Kumar, the chief coach of the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Bengaluru, where Saina has been training since the second half of 2014, said on Wednesday: "She had developed that pain a few days prior to the departure and it got aggravated over there.

"It was found that a bone chip was floating inside. There was absolutely no indication of that before we left for Rio. If we had known the seriousness of the injury, she would not have travelled to Rio. It was bad timing. If it had come 2-3 weeks during the training time, she would not have been able to play.

"She was looking forward to Rio Games. She had seven to eight weeks of good preparation for the Olympic Games. The preparation was very good."

The disappointment in Kumar's voice was as much as the pain that the 2012 London Games bronze medallist went through in winning her first match against Brazil's Lohaynny Vicente and then losing to lower-ranked Maria Ulitina of Ukraine in the second group match that eventually showed the Indian the exit.

Kumar said: "It was very painful. Saina played with the pain. She was under the impression that it was the inflammation of the fat pad. That normally happens to players and so she thought she will have pain killer injection.

Normally, it gives relief for a week or 10 days. Then, rest is the only way. But, it was a bone chip, which nobody knew about.

"Once we reached Rio, Saina thought the pain would subside. She was even expecting tough matches from the quarterfinal stage and was looking forward to playing Li Xuerui of China at some stage. She thought she would be able to play. The first match itself was bad. Then it got aggravated."

Kumar stressed on the ill-timing of Saina's injury that dashed a million hopes. However mentally strong Saina is, the disappointment of an early exit at the Olympics because of an injury hit the shuttler hard.

"For Saina, it was basically the disappointment of pain recurring. You put in a lot of hard work. If it was any other tournament, it was fine. This was the Olympic Games. When such a thing happens, it is tough to digest for any athlete," said Kumar, a former Olympian and chief national coach.

"With Saina, you don't know what will happen in four years," Kumar said when asked if she can still play in 2020 Tokyo Games. She will be 30 then.

"It (injury) will always play on the athlete's mind. It is only a pity, it is unfortunate. Let's see how she recovers. Only thing you can look forward to is how well she prepares for other tournaments and look at winning the All England, World Championships and other tournaments."

The country's first badminton medallist at the Olympic Games, Saina's career has been hit with injuries, especially in the last year or so. Kumar said that her game depended a lot on physical ability.

"Something like (Rafael) Nadal or somebody. Saina has to be in top physical condition all the time. She pushes herself quite a bit. It is the knee, near the patellar tendon, that is troublesome. It is very common for shuttlers and tennis players. Very common injury. Some say it is jumper's knee. Only thing was that it came at a wrong time. It was so close and everything was okay, and overnight you develop this. Very sad," said the 53-year-old.

While it was bad luck for Saina, there was pleasant news from the badminton court in the form of PV Sindhu, who went one notch better by winning silver medal. Kumar was all praise for Sindhu. "Sindhu did really well. It is destiny. She is also an equally good player, has beaten all these girls before. These people are in the circuit and are as good as anybody else. Sindhu, K Srikanth, Saina have beaten the best of players. They are always in with a chance," said Kumar.

Kumar is not pushing Saina for an early return to the badminton court. "She will need at least four to six weeks of good rehab programme. As regards playing, she will always find her game back.The question is how good her rehab is. You start competing only when you are fully ready, not play anything half-hearted. There is no question of pushing her comeback," said Kumar.

Post her surgery, Saina returned to Hyderabad and was again in Mumbai to consult her doctors, Kumar said. The rehabilitation programme could also be in Mumbai, "depending on how it is being suggested. Will get to know in the next few days," said Kumar.