Badminton stars Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap will tie the knot this December, and the news has been confirmed by Saina herself.

Talking to The Times of India, she said:

I will get busy with the Premier Badminton League from December 20 and then qualifiers for the Tokyo Games will begin. So this was the only date that we had to get married. 

While further adding:

We started travelling for bigger tours from 2007-08 onwards. In the competitive world that we live in, it is difficult to get close to someone. But somehow we both found it very easy to talk to each other, talk about our matches. The feeling gradually grew.

The shuttlers, who have been dating each other for a decade now, are set to get married on December 16.

But how did they break the news to the parents? Well, they didn’t need to.

Bolne ki zaroorat nahi padi (I didn’t have to tell tell them). We used to be together most of the time and my parents also travelled with me, so they understood who I was close to and comfortable with even after my losses.

They met in 2005 when their training under Pullela Gopichand began, and since then, have been seen hanging out with each other on multiple occasions.

But when asked to comment on claims that they are in a relationship, the two neither confirmed anything, nor denied. 

With the official declaration of their marriage, we are sure that they will make for another great sports couple.

As far as their sporting history is concerned, Saina and Parupalli need no introduction. 

Saina is an Olympic bronze medalist and a former world number 1. Parupalli, on the other hand, is an Arjuna award winner and clinched gold at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. 

Parupalli will now be acting as a coach to help his future wife with her career.  

Wedding bells for the shuttlers, what’s not to celebrate?