India Open: Kidambi Srikanth, Ashwini Ponappa Test Positive For COVID-19

The Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Thursday said that seven Indian players, including former World No.1 Kidambi Srikanth and two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ashwini Ponnappa tested positive for COVID-19. The five other players who tested positive for COVID-19 are Ritika Rahul Thakkar, Mithun Manjunath, Treesa Jolly, Simran Aman Singhi, and Khushi Gupta. The players and their doubles partners have been pulled out of the tournament.

 BWF in its statement said, "The players returned a positive result to a mandatory RT-PCR test conducted on Tuesday. Doubles partners deemed close contact of the seven players have also been withdrawn from the tournament. The players will not be replaced in the main draw and their opponents will be given a walkover to the next round."

🚨UPDATE#YonexSunriseIndiaOpen2022 #Badminton#COVID19 pic.twitter.com/IMhsbf9UWm

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) January 13, 2022

India open 2022 started in India on 11 January,2022 and will continue till 16 January 2022. The second round of matches will be played on Thursday at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall in New Delhi. It is all known knowledge that B Sai Praneeth also tested positive for COVID-19.