Sikki Reddy, Ashwini Ponnappa withdraw from Uber Cup due to injury

Sikki Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa on Friday withdrew from the forthcoming Uber Cup tournament due to the former's injury, Badminton Association of India (BAI) said. 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 (abdominus rectus) as confirmed by an MRI and has been advised 4-6 week rest by the doctor," the BAI said in a statement. "Under the circumstances the said pair has withdrawn from from the Uber Cup as well as the upcoming BATC and the selectors have decided to include Simran Singh and Ritika Thakkar in their place as they were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," said BAI general secretary Sanjay Mishra.

The development comes a day after the BAI announced Indian teams for the upcoming Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Thomas and Uber Cup. The teams were named by BAI following six days of selection trials at the Indira Gandhi Stadium here.

Besides Sikki Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa, 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.