Badminton: As Olympic qualification period restarts, Indian shuttlers need good run at Swiss Open
The pressure to amass points in the Race to Tokyo rankings will be on for some of the shuttlers who still stand a chance to earn quota places. PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Srikanth, Satwiksairaj-Chirag | AFP/Reuters
Reigning world champion PV Sindhu will be eager to return to the podium while former winner Saina Nehwal seeks a return to form in the official season-opening event Swiss Open Super 300 tournament beginning on Tuesday.
Indian men’s singles players, too, have tasted success in this tournament with Sameer Verma, HS Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth emerging victorious in 2018, 2016 and 2015 respectively and B Sai Praneeth finishing runners-up in the last edition.
Thailand Open: PV Sindhu cruises into second round, Sameer Verma shocks eighth seed Lee Zii Jia
Olympic hopeful Saina Nehwal, however, bowed out after losing 17-21 8-21 to former world champion and home favourite Ratchanok Inthanon. Updated Jan 20, 2021 · 09:52 am Agencies
PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth notched up straight-game wins, while Sameer Verma shocked world no. 10 Lee Zii Jia as Indian shuttlers made impressive starts at the Toyota Thailand Open Super 1000 tournament in Bangkok on Tuesday.
A week after being sent packing by Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt in the first event of the Asia leg, world champion Sindhu showed great discipline and focus to see off world no. 12 Busanan 21-17 21-13 in the women’s singles opener.
Source:
PTI
Top Indian shuttlers P V Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth notched up straight-game wins in the opening round to make impressive starts at the Toyota Thailand Open Super 1000 tournament in Bangkok on Tuesday. A week after being sent packing by Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt in the first event of the Asia leg, world champion Sindhu showed great discipline and focus to see off world no.12 Busanan 21-17 21-13 in the women’s singles opener.
“It was a good game and I’m very, very happy. This win was very important for me in this tournament because at last week’s tournament, I went out in the first round,” Sindhu said after the match.
19 January, 2021 15:22 IST
P V Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth notched up straight-game wins, while Sameer Verma shocked world no 10 Lee Zii Jia as Indian shuttlers made impressive starts at the Toyota Thailand Open Super 1000 tournament here on Tuesday.
A week after being sent packing by Denmark s Mia Blichfeldt in the first event of the Asia leg, world champion Sindhu showed great discipline and focus to see off world no 12 Busanan 21-17 21-13 in the women s singles opener.
In men s singles, former world no 1 Srikanth, who had withdrawn ahead of the second round last week due to a calf muscle pull, seemed to have recovered completely as he decimated another Thai player Sitthikom Thammasin 21-11 21-11 in 37 minutes.
Thailand Open W2W4: Sindhu s slump, Saina s struggles, India s doubles hopes
Thailand Open W2W4: Sindhu s slump, Saina s struggles, India s doubles hopes
PV Sindhu has not reached a single World Tour event semifinal since becoming World Champion in 2019.
AP Photo/Vincent Thian
Other than a couple of exceptions, the return to action of India s top badminton players at the Yonex Thailand Open was rather lacklustre, with most performances ranging between tepid and insipid. A field devoid of Chinese and Japanese players presented a great opportunity for the Indians to make a deep run at the tournament. However, none of the Indians managed to go beyond the second round.