Uber Cup: Sikki Reddy, Ashwini Ponappa withdraw from tournament due to injury

New Delhi : The Indian women’s doubles pair of Sikki Reddy and Ashwini Ponappa have withdrawn from the upcoming Uber Cup tournament due to the former’s injury, the Badminton Association of India (BAI) said on Friday.The tournament is scheduled to be held in Bangkok from May 8 to 15.”Sikki Reddy has suffered a Grade 2 Tear of the Abdomen (abdominis rectus) as confirmed by an MRI and has been advised 4-6 week rest by the doctor,” BAI general secretary Sanjay Mishra said in a statement.

“Under the circumstances the said pair has withdrawn from the Uber Cup as well as the upcoming Badminton Asia Championships (BAC) and the selectors have decided to include Simran Singh and Ritika Thakkar in their place as they were fourth in the ranking during the selection trials,” he added.Earlier, the BAI on Thursday announced Indian teams for the upcoming Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Thomas and Uber Cup, following six days of selection trials at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in the national capital.Apart from Sikki Reddy and Ashwini Ponappa, the 10-member women’s team for the Asian Games and Uber Cup comprised PV Sindhu, Parupalli Kashyap, Ashmita Chaliha, Hooda, alongside the other two doubles pairs from the trials Treesa Jolly-Gayatri P and Tanisha Crasto-Shruti Mishra.