Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu has withdrawn from the Swiss Open as she continues to recover from the stressful experience she faced in Dubai recently. The Indian badminton star decided to skip the tournament after being stranded in the city for three days due to airspace restrictions amid the ongoing Iran-Israel war.

Sindhu had earlier pulled out of the All England Open Badminton Championships after she was unable to travel to Birmingham. She was scheduled to fly from India to Birmingham via Dubai, but her travel plans were disrupted following airspace restrictions in the region due to the conflict.

Badminton Association of India (BAI) secretary Sanjay Mishra has now confirmed that Sindhu will not take part in the Swiss Open as she needs some time to recover from the experience. “She is not playing at Swiss Open. We all know what she went through in Dubai. She could not travel to Birmingham. So she has sought some time to recover from it,” Mishra told PTI.

Sindhu was constantly sharing updates from Dubai while she was stranded there with her team amid the war. In one of her posts, the badminton star revealed that her coach had survived an explosion that occurred just 100 metres away from where he was.

Indians at Swiss Open

In men’s singles, Srikanth, who reached two finals last year at the Malaysia Masters and Syed Modi International, will open against Jason Gunawan, who had dashed his hopes of ending a title drought in Lucknow.

Prannoy, the 2023 World Championships bronze medallist and Asian Games bronze winner, will take on Japan’s Koki Watanabe.

His academy teammate Tharun Mannepalli will face another Japanese player Kenta Nishimoto, while Ayush Shetty will take on Canada’s Brian Yang. Kiran George will meet Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew in another opening round clash.

In men’s doubles, world No. 4 Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will face Singapore’s Eng Keat Wesley Koh and Junsuke Kubo. The Indian pair had exited in the opening round of the All England Championships last week.

The men’s doubles pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and M R Arjun will take on Chinese Taipei’s Chen Zhi Ray and Lin Yu Chieh.

In the absence of Sindhu, Unnati Hooda will face Chinese Taipei’s Chiu Pin-Chian, while Malvika Bansod will take on Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong in women’s singles.

In women’s doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand Pullela will face Hu Ling Fang and Zheng Yu Chieh of Chinese Taipei. The Indian pair had won the Syed Modi International Super 300 title for the second successive time last year but exited in the opening round of the All England Championships.

In mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto will take on Denmark’s Jesper Toft and Amalie Magelund, while Rohan Kapoor and Gadde Ruthvika will face Thailand’s Ruttanapak Oupthong and Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat.

(With agency inputs)

NEW DELHI: Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu returned to India after being stranded in Dubai since February 28 following the closure of airspace in West Asia due to escalating conflict in the region. As a result, she had to give the All England Badminton, which began on Tuesday in Birmingham, a miss.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!On Tuesday, Sindhu informed that she might also miss the Yonex Swiss Open, a Super 300 event in Basel scheduled from March 10 to 15, due to curtailed flight operations across the Gulf region and the unavailability of tickets on most airlines. The tournament carries a prize purse of $250,000 (approx Rs 2.1 cr).“Swiss Open is definitely a target. But as I speak, all the flights are going full. I have been trying every day to book myself on one of them, but there are no tickets available. Everything is via Dubai and it’s been a challenge. We all know taking the Dubai flight route is risky. Let’s see what happens in the next few days,” Sindhu said in a media interaction facilitated by SAI.“I am searching for options but nothing has been working out so far. I have to also think about my coach (Indonesian Irwansyah Adi Pratama) and his safety.” Sindhu said that the Badminton World Federation has waived a financial penalty of $5,000 for her no-show at the All England, acknowledging the extraordinary situation. However, discussions around a possible loss of her ranking points ahead of a season involving the CWG, Asian Games and World Championships, are ongoing, with Sindhu expecting an amicable solution due to “extraordinary circumstances”.“There are BWF regulations in place for skipping a Super 1000 or Super 750 tournaments by top-ranked players. If the world body doesn’t find the reasons valid, they would fine a player $5,000. I wrote a mail to BWF from Dubai. They understood my situation, as probably it was the first time that such a thing happened and waived off my penalty. That was one relief.“About the ranking points, they told me to send a collaborative mail detailing my circumstances. I’m waiting for their response. They will convey the decision in a day’s time,” said Sindhu, who is also a member of BWF’s Athletes Commission.“I just pray it was the first time and the last time I experience something like this. It’s going to be hard (to forget). You train so hard and then something completely beyond your control prevents you from competing in a big event.”

Star Indian shuttler PV Sindhu has returned to her home in Bengaluru, the two-time Olympic medallist informed on Tuesday, March 3. Sindhu was stranded in Dubai as tensions rose in the Gulf region due to the conflict between US-Israel and Iran.

“Back home in Bangalore and safe. The last few days have been intense and uncertain, but I’m truly grateful to be back to my house. A heartfelt thank you to the incredible ground teams, Dubai authorities, airport staff, immigration, and every single person who stepped up and took such good care of us during a very difficult time. The empathy and professionalism meant more than words can say. For now, it’s time to rest, reset, and figure out the next steps,” Sindhu wrote on X.

More to follow…

PV Sindhu pulled out of the All England Championships on Monday, as the shuttler and her Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama are stuck in Dubai due to the situation in West Asia.Confirming the development, Badminton Association of India (BAI) secretary Sanjay Mishra told TOI that Sindhu will compete in next week’s Swiss Open Super-300 tournament. “Sindhu is not playing All England due to the situation in Dubai. She will compete in Swiss Open next week,” Mishra told TOI.

As of Monday afternoon, a limited number of flights resumed operations from Abu Dhabi, but the Dubai airport is still shut.The rest of the Indian squad is in Birmingham for the Super-1000 tournament beginning Tuesday.Meanwhile, Indian shuttlers will attempt to break the 25-year-old jinx at this prestigious championship. Prakash Padukone (1980) and Pullela Gopichand (2001) were the only Indians to win the All England Championships.Saina Nehwal (2015), Lakshya Sen (2022) reached the finals, while the women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand reached the last four stage in 2022 and 2023.Lakshya may find it difficult this year as he has drawn top seed Shi Yuqi of China in the first round. Fast-rising men’s singles shuttler Ayush Shetty will begin against Alwi Farhan of Indonesia and may face Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei next.The top Indian doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty face the Malaysian duo of Aaron Tai and Kang Khai Kang Xing in the first round. A victory here may pitch them against Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi of China in the second round.Treesa and Gayatri have done well in this tournament, but they have a tough first round against Sayaka Hirota and Ayako Sakuramoto. If they beat the Japanese, they may be up against seventh-seeded Chinese duo of Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min.

India’s two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu is all but out of the prestigious All England Open Badminton Championships 2026 in Birmingham without even playing a single match. She will most likely pull out of the tournament after being stranded in Dubai due to the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict.

The tournament is set to begin on Tuesday, but
Sindhu has been stuck in Dubai since Saturday following Iran’s attacks on several countries in the Middle East. The attacks came in response of the US-Israel bombing of Iran. This has resulted in closure of airspace across parts of the Gulf region.

Flights have been suspended in the region, which has led to major travel disruptions for people who use the United Arab Emirates as a transit point. The Dubai International Airport, where Sindhu was initially stuck with her team, was also hit during the attacks.

Sindhu’s Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama even had a narrow escape after an explosion occurred near his area. They were later shifted to a safer location with the help of Dubai authorities and the Indian High Commission. Now, it appears that Sindhu will have to pull out of the tournament as the date of the competition nears.

The Indian star was scheduled to face Thailand’s Supanida Katethong in the opening round. However, the Dubai airport and airspace are still closed and she is expected to withdraw from the All England Open. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) is also monitoring the situation.

“The BWF and Badminton England are closely monitoring the travel challenges arising from the ongoing geopolitical situation in the Middle East. We remain in regular contact with teams and players whose journeys to Birmingham for the All England Open 2026 may be affected. The safety and wellbeing of all athletes, officials and support personnel remain our highest priority,” a statement read.

Other participants reach safely

While Sindhu’s participation remains uncertain, some of her fellow shuttlers have managed to reach Birmingham via alternate routes of Singapore and Africa. However, it remains to be seen how the long and taxing travel will impact their preparations.

India’s top men’s singles contender Lakshya Sen and rising youngster Ayush Shetty, have reached without any travel issues. While Lakshya has drawn world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi of China, Ayush is up against Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan in the opening round.

For Lakshya, a former semifinalist and runner-up here, it will be another tough test against Shi, against whom he has lost four of his five previous meetings against the Chinese.

Ayush, the US Open Super 300 champion, will look to turn the tide against Farhan, having lost three of their five encounters, including the most recent one at the Indonesia Masters in January.

In women’s singles, Malvika Bansod faces a stiff opening challenge against Tokyo Olympics champion Chen Yufei of China.

Unnati Hooda, whose flight was cancelled on Sunday forcing her to travel via Africa, will need to overcome jet lag when she takes on Thailand’s eighth seed Pornpawee Chochuwong in her opener.

In men’s doubles, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, a former world No. 1, will spearhead India’s challenge against Malaysia’s Kang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai in the first round.

The women’s doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, who registered back-to-back semifinal finishes at the event in 2022 and 2023, will face Japan’s Sayaka Hirota and Ayako Sakuramoto.

In mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto are up against Malaysia’s Hoo Pang Ron and Cheng Su Yin, while Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde will meet fifth seeds Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue of France.

Prakash Padukone (1980) and Pullela Gopichand (2001) remain the only Indians to have won the All England title. Besides them, only Saina Nehwal (2015 runner-up) and Lakshya (2022 runner-up) have come close in recent years.

(With agency inputs)

Several international sports personalities have been left stranded in the Middle East after Iran launched missile strikes across the region on Saturday. The attacks came in response to what the United States and Israel described as a “pre-emptive” strike that reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Follow LIVE | Iran Israel War

Following the assassination, Iran fired missiles targeting Israel and multiple countries in the Middle East, where American bases are located. Explosions were reported in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait. In Dubai, major landmarks like the Fairmont The Palm and the Burj Al Arab were hit.

Dubai International Airport, known as the world’s busiest airport by passenger traffic, was also struck during the attacks, which eventually resulted in the closure of airspace across the region. This led to several big names from across the sporting world getting stuck and not being able to leave.

Sports stars stranded in Middle East amid war

Among those affected is former world No.1 tennis player Daniil Medvedev. Medvedev had just won the ATP’s Dubai Championships and was preparing to travel to the United States for the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. However, he got stuck in his hotel room after flights were grounded.

“The situation is unusual, but basically, the only thing is that the airspace is closed, naturally. So, no one knows when we’ll be able to fly out. It’s not clear whether this will last long or not. We’re just waiting to see what happens in the coming hours or days. They keep gradually pushing back the airport reopening time,” he told Bolshe Tennis.

England cricketer Jonny Bairstow is also trapped in Dubai. Bairstow, who is on holiday with his family, took to social media to ask UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer if he could help them return home. He later appealed for any information from people in Dubai and urged everyone to stay safe.

Can you get us home???

— Jonny Bairstow (@jbairstow21) February 28, 2026

England Test captain Ben Stokes and former all-rounder Andrew Flintoff are currently in Abu Dhabi with the England Lions squad. Their scheduled match against Pakistan Shaheens was cancelled due to the security situation in the region. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is trying to get the players out with the help of the government.

Former Liverpool legend Graeme Souness also shared updates from Abu Dhabi Airport. In a video posted on Instagram, he described hearing loud explosions while waiting to board his flight back to the UK. He said anti-missile systems were intercepting missiles in the area.

Meanwhile, former Olympic medalist
PV Sindhu is the biggest Indian name stranded in Dubai at the moment. She described her ordeal as a frightening experience after her coach nearly survived a bomb scare while travelling to the All England Open via the UAE.

The ordeal continues to unfold, and the situation is becoming more frightening by the hour.

A few hours ago, there was an explosion close to where we were holed up at the airport. My coach had to quickly run out of the area as he was closest to the smoke and debris. It was an… https://t.co/ZdNtuALk0P

— Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) March 1, 2026

Former Bangladesh cricket captain Mushfiqur Rahim is also stuck in the region. He had travelled to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for a pilgrimage, but got stuck after flights were grounded as a precautionary measure.

“Unfortunately due to the war between USA, ISRAEL AND IRAN all the flight has return to Jeddah and now i am in jeddah airpot including thoushand of passengers…when and how we will able to go to Dhaka along with other Bangladeshi people,” Rahim wrote on his Facebook page.

India’s double Olympic medalist PV Sindhu went through a scary experience after she was left stranded at Dubai airport while travelling to the All England Open Badminton Championships on Saturday, February 28. Her journey was disrupted after flight operations were suspended due to the ongoing Iran-Israel war and the subsequent tensions in the Middle East.

Follow LIVE | Iran Israel War

Sindhu was on her way from Bengaluru to Birmingham to compete in the prestigious tournament, which is scheduled to take place from March 3 to March 8. However, things took an unexpected turn when her flight landed in Dubai and the
airspace was shut down due to missiles and drones reportedly fired by the Iranian authorities in response to attacks from Israel and the United States.

Sindu was left stranded at the airport as flight services were temporarily stopped. Speaking exclusively to CNN-News18, Sindhu explained what happened. “Firstly, thank you all who have been reaching out and checking on us,” she was quoted as saying to the media outlet.

“Well, I was transiting from Bangalore, where I train and live full-time now, to Birmingham in the UK to compete in the All England championships. And you know, once our flight landed in Dubai, events beyond our control began to unfold, and shortly after, you know, the airspace also was shut down. And the last few hours have been extremely tense. We could hear the sounds of interceptions overhead, and a few hours later, there was an explosion very close to where we were holed up at Dubai Airport,” she said.

Sindhu said her coach was just about 100 metres away from where the explosion happened. He had to quickly move away from the area to stay safe. “My coach was barely about 100 meters away there. You know, it happened, and had to quickly move out of the area. You know, experiencing something like this in such close quarters is truly, you know, it truly shakes the very foundation you’re built on and you never expect these things to happen to you or anyone close to you,” Sindhu revealed.

The ordeal continues to unfold, and the situation is becoming more frightening by the hour.

A few hours ago, there was an explosion close to where we were holed up at the airport. My coach had to quickly run out of the area as he was closest to the smoke and debris. It was an… https://t.co/ZdNtuALk0P

— Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) March 1, 2026

“But sometimes situations are beyond your control. They do so, you know, I feel incredibly blessed to have such a strong and united team around me, and everyone has stayed calm, supported one another and shown real strength during a very frightening situation. And currently, we are safe now and have been moved to a more secure place,” she added.

Sindhu thanked the Dubai airport authorities and airline staff for their support. She also expressed gratitude towards the Indian High Commission in Dubai for their quick response. Sindhu said that when she reached out for help, the High Commission immediately deployed a high-priority team to assist them.

“I’m deeply, you know, grateful to the Dubai authorities and the staff and Dubai Airport. Also, we’ve been, you know, incredibly tireless in ensuring everyone’s safety. We’re also truly grateful to Emirates and the airport staff for being incredibly kind and supportive. You know, with so many passengers stranded, their hands were understandably tied, but they showed genuine empathy and care towards everyone going through this difficult experience,” Sindhu said.

“I would also like to sincerely thank the Indian High Commission in Dubai for their extraordinary support. And when I reached out requesting assistance, the high commission immediately responded, and on high super priority notice, deployed his team to help us. They have been incredibly supportive of, not just to me, but to everyone stranded here, ensuring safety coordination and constant communication during a very difficult time, and anyone currently stuck or needing assistance is encouraged to reach out using the official Helpline Numbers shared by the high commission. And of course, we are truly blessed to have such a sensitised and credibile in looking out for Indian citizens here for now, we’re trying to get some rest and remain hopeful as the situation continues to unfold. So thank you for your prayers, messages and concern. It truly means a lot to all of us,” she concluded.

Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu is the most high profile Indian name to be stranded in the Middle East as conflict rages in the region in the wake of United States and Israel’s combined strikes on Iran that started Saturday.

Iran soon retaliated with strikes across multiple nations in the Middle East triggering a wider conflict. Several airports across the Gulf region have suspended operations due to the conflict leading to travellers getting stranded in these countries as they wait for situation to improve.

Here we take a look at some of the key stars from the sports world who are currently stranded in the Gulf due to this unfolding war.

PV Sindhu stranded in Dubai

Star Indian shuttler was on her way to the United Kingdom for the All England Championships but now she is stuck at the Dubai Airport. In a post on X, Sindhu described her ordeal saying that there was an explosion close to where she was stranded. If the situation does not improve quickly, it could also endanger Sindhu’s participation as the prestigious All England.

The ordeal continues to unfold, and the situation is becoming more frightening by the hour.

A few hours ago, there was an explosion close to where we were holed up at the airport. My coach had to quickly run out of the area as he was closest to the smoke and debris. It was an… https://t.co/ZdNtuALk0P

— Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) March 1, 2026

Mushfiqur Rahim stuck in Jeddah

Former Bangladesh cricket captain Mushfiqur Rahim has been stranded in Jeddah while returning from his Umrah pilgrimage.

“Unfortunately due to the war between USA, ISRAEL AND IRAN all the flight has return to Jeddah and now i am in jeddah airpot including thoushand of passengers…when and how we will able to go to Dhaka along with other Bangladeshi people,” Rahim wrote on his Facebook page.

Daniil Medvedev, Holger Rune among stranded tennis stars

Daniil Medvedev won the men’s singles event at the Dubai Tennis Championships. Him and all his competitors who had not left Dubai are now stranded. Reports suggest that Holger Rune is also stuck in Doha in Qatar where he was staying as part of his structured rehabilitation programme.

Graeme Souness stuck in Abu Dhabi

Liverpool legend and football expert also remains stranded in Abu Dhabi. He was supposed to catch a plane to the United Kingdom but the conflict has left him stuck at the airport in the UAE.

“Well right now, I’m at this airport, I’m hearing some pretty loud bangs going off, and that is anti-missiles taking out missiles being fired at some American base,” the Liverpool legend posted on his Instagram stories.

NEW DELHI: Indian badminton ace PV Sindhu has found herself stranded in Dubai for over eight hours after missile-related disturbances in Gulf airspace led to an indefinite suspension of flights across the region.Sindhu was on her way to Birmingham to compete at the prestigious All England Open, set to begin next Tuesday, with Dubai scheduled as a transit stop. The unexpected halt in airport operations has now raised serious concerns over whether she will reach England in time for the tournament.

Providing an update on Sunday morning, Sindhu wrote: “The ordeal continues to unfold and the situation is becoming more frightening by the hour.”She went on to describe a particularly alarming moment at the airport. “A few hours ago, there was an explosion close to where we were holed up at the airport. My coach had to quickly run out of the area as he was closest to the smoke and debris. It was an extremely tense and scary moment for all of us,” Sindhu said.Reassuring fans about her safety, she added: “We are all safe now and have been moved to a more secure place, thanks to the tireless efforts of the staff at Dubai Airport and the Dubai authorities. A special thanks as well to the Indian High Commission in Dubai for their incredible support and constant assistance in helping keep us safe,” she further said.“For now, we are trying to get some rest and hold on to hope as we wait for things to settle,” she said.This marked her second public update since the disruption began.On Saturday, Sindhu had posted a video from a packed airport, accompanied by the caption: “All flights suspended until further notice.”Later, she shared that she was safe but unable to leave with her team, noting how rapidly the tensions had escalated and calling it “terrifying”.“It’s hard to process what’s unfolding right now. Hearing the interceptions overhead and seeing how quickly everything has escalated is honestly terrifying,” Sindhu wrote on ‘X’.Reflecting on the situation, she added: “So many disturbing videos are coming to light, and this is sadly the reality of what is happening. Dubai is a city I deeply love, a place that has always felt safe and full of life, which makes this moment even harder to comprehend.“To everyone who has been messaging and checking in, thank you, it truly means a lot. I am safe right now, stuck here with my team, and we are doing okay as the situation around the war with Iran continues to evolve,” she added.Sindhu also painted a picture of the tense atmosphere inside the airport.“Airports are chaotic, with many families stranded and waiting, all of us just hoping we get past this soon. I’m sure the authorities are doing everything in their power, and like everyone here, we’re holding on to patience and hope,” she wrote.Summing up her feelings amid the uncertainty, she concluded: “Moments like these remind you how fragile normal life really is. Praying for safety and peace for everyone affected.”