14 December,2011 09:57 AM IST | | Sundari Iyer
World No 19 shuttler Eriko Hirose, who was to be the top seed at the Tata Open India International Challenge that gets underway today at the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) badminton courts, has pulled out of the event due to an ailment.
The All-England women's singles finalist had to pull out of the Dec 20-25 Yonex Sunrise Syed Modi Memorial India Grand Prix Gold too as she is suffering from acute gastroenteritis.
Tata Open tournament director Vimal Kumar said: "Everyone wasu00a0 was looking forward to her visit. The excitement was more so since she beat Saina Nehwal at the All-England earlier this year."
