Badminton
Denmark Open 2023: Aakarshi Kashyap replaces Yamaguchi; Treesa-Gayatri pulls out
Satwik-Chirag in men's doubles, Lakshya and Kidambi in men's singles, and PV Sindhu and Aakarshi Kashyap in women's singles will represent India at the Denmark Open.
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand (Screengrab/BWF)
A day after HS Prannoy pulled out of the Denmark Open Super 750 due to a back injury, world no. 30 Priyanshu Rajawat, who was supposed to face Lee Zii Jia in the first round, also ruled himself out of the event on Tuesday.
Aakarshi Kashyap, meanwhile, has been promoted to the main draw after world no. 2 Akane Yamaguchi withdrew.
Similarly, MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila in men's doubles withdrew from the tournament along with the women's doubles dup of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand.
Asian Games gold medallists Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are the only Indian pair at the Denmark Open. They will take on Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi of Malaysia in the Round of 32 on Tuesday.
India's challenge in men's singles will be led by Commonwealth Games gold medallist Lakshya Sen, who will face Kantaphon Wangcharoen of Thailand in the R32.
Former world no. 1 Kidami Shrikanth, meanwhile, faces a tricky test in the first round as he runs into world no. 21 Weng Hong Yang of China. Hong Yang is the Australian Open champion. He was also part of China's gold medal-winning men's team at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.
In women’s singles, two-time Olympic bronze medallist PV Sindhu, the world no. 13, will take on Scotland's Kirsty Gilmour in the first round. Sindhu lost in the semifinal at the Arctic Open.
Aakarshi will face off against Yvonne Li of Germany in her first-round match.
