Indian badminton star HS Prannoy is set to spearhead India’s challenge at the Australian Open badminton tournament, which kicks off on Tuesday. Seeded fifth in this BWF Super 500 event, Prannoy is looking to regain his form after disappointing performances in his recent outings.
Prannoy, currently ranked 10th in the world, has struggled in the last two tournaments. He suffered a surprising defeat to compatriot Meiraba Luwang Maisnam in the opening round of the Thailand Open last month. His difficulties continued at the Singapore Open, where he lost to Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto, ranked 11th, in a hard-fought Round of 16 match, 13-21, 21-14, 15-21.
The Indian ace is keen to turn things around as he begins his campaign against Ygor Coelho of Brazil. A strong performance here could help Prannoy regain his confidence and momentum as he aims to make a deep run in the tournament.
In addition to Prannoy, several other Indian shuttlers are competing in the men’s singles. Sameer Verma faces Indonesia’s Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo in the opening round, while Ravi faces a tough challenge against eighth seed Loh Kean Yew of Singapore.
Mithun Manjunath will take on Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan, Kiran George is set to play against Canada’s Xiaodong Sheng, and S Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian will have his work cut out for him against top seed Jonatan Christie of Indonesia.
The women’s singles draw also features a strong Indian contingent, led by eighth seed Aakarshi Kashyap. Kashyap will open her campaign against Ukraine’s Polina Buhrova. Other Indian players in action include Ashmita Chaliha, who faces Peru’s Ines Lucia Castillo, and Anupama Upadhyaya, who will take on Malaysia’s Wong Ling Ching.
Samiya Imad Farooqui has a challenging first-round match against top seed Akane Yamaguchi of Japan. Keyura Mopati and Malvika Bansod will compete in an all-Indian contest in the opening round.
In the women’s doubles, the Panda sisters, Rutuparna and Swetaparna, who are seeded seventh, will be looking to make a mark. They are joined by the pair of Harshita Rout and Sruti Swain in leading India’s charge. Unfortunately, no Indian pairs are competing in the men’s doubles.
India also has a strong representation in the mixed doubles category with three pairs. Eighth seed B Sumeeth Reddy and Sikki Reddy will face the Malaysian duo of Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sien in their opener. Tarun Kona and Sri Krishna Priya Kudaravalli are up against another Malaysian combination, Hoo Pang Ron and Cheng Su Yin. The third Indian mixed doubles pair, Ayush Raj Gupta and Sruti Swain, will play against the Australian duo of Jordan Yang and Sydney Tjonadi in their opening match.
This tournament represents a crucial opportunity for Indian shuttlers to show their talents on the international stage. With a mix of seasoned players and promising young talent, the Indian contingent will be looking to make a significant impact at the Australian Open. As the competition unfolds, all eyes will be on Prannoy and his quest to rediscover his winning form, alongside the performances of his compatriots who are eager to leave their mark.
