New Delhi: India’s star doubles duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are set to make a strong comeback as they lead a talented Indian contingent at the Singapore Open Super 750 tournament starting Tuesday. The former world number one pair last competed at the All England Championships in March but had to withdraw in the second round due to Chirag’s back injury. They also missed the Sudirman Cup because of Satwik’s fitness issues. Now fully recovered, the duo, who reached the semifinals of both the Malaysia Open and India Open earlier this year, will kick off their campaign against Malaysia’s Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad Haikal.
In singles, Kidambi Srikanth’s inspiring run to the finals at last week’s Malaysia Masters lifted the spirits of Indian badminton fans after a string of disappointing performances by India’s singles players in recent months. Though Srikanth will not be competing in Singapore, his recent success serves as motivation for the Indian players.
HS Prannoy, the 2023 World Championships bronze medalist, aims to replicate Srikanth’s grit when he begins his tournament against Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke. Prannoy, who has been recovering from chikungunya and battling fitness concerns, showed promise at the Malaysia Masters despite exiting in the second round.
Lakshya Sen, the 2021 World Championships bronze medalist, will be looking to overcome fitness doubts as he faces Lin Chun-Yi in the opening round. Sen has struggled for form this season, with four early exits, raising questions about his consistency as a future leader of Indian badminton.
Priyanshu Rajawat, another promising 23-year-old, faces pressure after six first-round exits this year but can draw inspiration from his academy mate Srikanth. Meanwhile, Kiran George, 25, who reached the India Open quarterfinal earlier this year, looks to capitalize on his opportunities as he faces China’s Weng Hong Yang.
PV Sindhu Leads Women’s Challenge
In the women’s singles draw, PV Sindhu continues to work on regaining her top form. Despite several coaching changes, the two-time Olympic medalist has struggled with consistency. After suffering a hamstring injury in February, Sindhu missed the Asia Team Championships and has faced early exits in recent tournaments. She will open her Singapore campaign against Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang.
Other Indian women face tough opponents as well. Anmol Kharb will take on former Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei, while Aakarshi Kashyap faces third seed Han Yue. Malvika Bansod meets Thailand’s Supanida Katethong, and Rakshita Ramraj squares off against South Korea’s Kim Ga Eun. Anupama Upadhaya plays against Chinese Taipei’s Sung Shuo Yun, and Unnati Hooda faces second seed Wang Zhiyi, the Malaysia Masters champion.
In doubles, India’s top-ranked women’s pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, seeded eighth, will face Chinese Taipei’s Chang Ching Hui and Yang Ching Tun. The mixed doubles pairs Dhruv Kapila/Tanisha Crasto and Rohan Kapoor/Ruthvika Shivani Gadde are also in the fray, aiming to make an impact.
With a strong and diverse lineup, Indian shuttlers will be eager to make their mark at the prestigious USD 1 million Singapore Open
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