Jwala-Diju pair pulls out of India Open

New Delhi: India`s top mixed doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and V Diju will not participate in the India Open Super Series as the latter will undergo a minor surgery to get

rid of his troubled back. Diju, who has been suffering from a recurring back problem for the last one year, has finally decided to go for a minor key hole surgery to regain complete fitness and would miss the April 26-May 1 tournament, the first Super Series in the country. "We won`t be able to play in India Open as Diju has to undergo a minor key hole surgery. He has been having problems with his back for quite sometime and we decided it is the right time to go for the operation. It is sad that we won`t be able to play at home but his health is a priority," one half of the mixed doubles pair, Jwala said. The duo had won the India Open, when it was a Grand Prix Gold event, last year in Chennai. "Diju is very tall, and so playing badminton always puts pressure on the lower back. It plays on your mind when you are not completely fit so once the surgery is over, we will be back with a bang," she added. The world number 19 India pair, who were seeded sixth in the tournament, however, will be back in action in June. "We will be playing our next tournament in June as one month`s gap is good enough time to recover and we will come out stronger and would be inside the top 10 by this year end," said Jwala. The 27-year-old Hyderabadi shuttler is, however, excited about playing in the women`s doubles category and hopes to repeat their Commonwealth Games gold medal feat at the familiar Sri Fort sports complex. "Me and Ashwini have been playing well. Even in the Commonwealth Games, we had the most fieriest competition and we overcame that to win the gold. So we hope to do well in the India Open too," said Jwala, who along with Ashwini had finished runners-up in the women`s doubles event of the India Open Grand Prix Gold last year. Bureau Report