Odisha Open: Covid: Bad luck continues for Ritika; Mugdha withdraws

Nagpur, Jan 24

The third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic has severely hit the sporting fraternity. The recently held India Open and then Syed Modi International witnessed a lot of withdrawals as players tested positive. The Odisha Open, a Badminton World Federation (BWF) event that will kick off at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack from January 25 is also affected by Covid.

Nagpur's doubles specialist Ritika Thaker is once again unlucky as she would not be able to participate in the women doubles as well as mixed doubles events although she is negative. However, another shuttler Mugdha Agrey has to withdraw as she has tested positive.

As per information Ritika's mixed doubles partner Navneeth Bokka has tested positive and at the same time Simran Singhi's mixed doubles partner Akshat Shetty has also tested positive in the RTPCR test conducted ahead of the tournament.

Due to it, Ritika will miss missed doubles event. At the same time, although Ritika and Simran are negative, they would not be able to participate in the women's doubles event also. The reason behind it is that Simran and her mixed doubles partner Shetty played together at Lucknow. Therefore the organisers have not allowed both Ritika and Simran to play even women doubles.

It can be mentioned here that Ritika had to pull out from India Open as she tested Covid positive after winning the first round.

In Syed Modi International.she and Simran lost the second round to Treesa Jolley-Gayatri Gopichand. Since Ritika's partner in the mixed doubles Navneeth Bokka's male partner in the mens' doubles tested positive Bokka had to withdraw and as a result Ritika-Bkka had to concede their mixed doubles match to Sri Lankan pair.

Talking to Lokmat Times Ritika said, “ Yes I am once again unlucky as I will not able to participate in mixed doubles and women doubles events. It is not in our hand. However, I am concentrating on women's doubles event with Simran in Iran Open that would be played from February 6 onwards. Ritika is returning to city on Monday.” As far as Mugdha is concerned she conducted RTPCR test for Odisha Open in Nagpur but as she tested positive she has decided to withdraw.

Box

Malvika to play Singapore girl in first round

Meanwhile Malvika Bansod who lost the Syed Modi International final to two-time Olympic medalist Pv Sindhu is participating in the women singles events.

Malvika will take on Singapore shuttler sixth seed Yue Yann Jaslyn Hooi, Over 300 shuttlers from a total of 18 countries will lock horns against each other to win in the categories of Men's and Women's singles, Men's and Women's doubles apart from Mixed doubles during te tournament.