Top Indian shuttlers, including PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy, and Lakshya Sen, are gearing up for the USD850,000 Singapore Open starting tomorrow, May 28, with their sights set on fine-tuning their game ahead of the Paris Olympics. The tournament in Singapore marks an important stage for these athletes before the quadrennial event.
Key Olympic Preparation
With the Tokyo Olympics just two months away, Indian shuttlers who have qualified for the Games will use the Singapore Open and subsequent tournaments—the Australian Open super 500, Indonesia Super 1000, and Canada Open super 500—as opportunities to sharpen their skills and eliminate any lingering weaknesses.
Recent Form and Expectations
Recently-crowned Thailand Open champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty enter the Singapore Open in top form, having reclaimed their world No. 1 ranking. PV Sindhu, who recently finished as runner-up at the Malaysia Masters, is also looking strong.
Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy are expected to make deep runs in the tournament, aiming to build momentum and confidence heading into the Paris Games.
Challenges Ahead
The Singapore Open, a Super 750 tournament, will be a tough test for all participants. PV Sindhu faces a challenging path, starting with a match against Denmark's Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt, and a potential encounter with Spain's Carolina Marin, the Rio Olympic champion.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who have been in excellent form this season with four final appearances, will begin their campaign against Denmark's Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard in the men's doubles.
Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy's Campaign
Lakshya Sen, who secured Olympic qualification with consistent performances, faces a tough match against world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen. HS Prannoy, aiming to bounce back from health issues, starts against Belgium's Julien Carraggi.
Other Indian Contenders
Kidambi Srikanth will challenge Japan's Kodai Naraoka, while Priyanshu Rajawat meets Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu in the men's singles. Aakarshi Kashyap will play Thailand's Pornpicha Choeikeewong in the women's singles.
In women's doubles, Olympic-bound Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto will face Polina Buhrova and Yevheniia Kantemyr of Ukraine, while Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand take on Chinese Taipei's Cheng Yu-Pei and Sun Yu-Hsing.
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