PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy lead Indian charge at Singapore Open

Top Indian shuttlers, including PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy, and Lakshya Sen, are set to showcase their skills at the USD 850,000 Singapore Open, starting Tuesday. This tournament will be crucial for the athletes to fine-tune their preparations for the Paris Olympics, which are just two months away. With only four tournaments left before the Games, the shuttlers will aim to sharpen their game and build confidence.

PV Sindhu, fresh off a runner-up finish at the Malaysia Masters, will face Denmark’s Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt in her opening match. A victory could see her up against Rio Olympic champion Carolina Marin. Sindhu’s recent performance indicates she is gearing up well, but she must quickly recover from her recent final loss to China’s Wang Zhi Yi.

HS Prannoy, who is recovering from health issues, will be looking to bounce back after a disappointing Thailand Open, where he was ousted in the first round by compatriot Meiraba Luwang Maisnam. Prannoy faces Belgium’s Julien Carraggi in his opening match and will need to find his best form to progress.

Lakshya Sen, having secured his Olympic qualification with impressive semifinal runs at the French Open and All England Championships, faces a tough first-round opponent in world no. 1 Viktor Axelsen. Lakshya is coming off a break and will aim to make a deep run in the tournament to boost his confidence.

In men’s doubles, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, recently crowned champions at the Thailand Open, will begin their campaign against Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard. The pair have been in outstanding form, regaining their world no. 1 status, and will look to continue their winning streak.

Kidambi Srikanth will battle Japan’s fifth seed Kodai Naraoka in the men’s singles draw, while Priyanshu Rajawat faces Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu in his opening match. In women’s singles, Aakarshi Kashyap will take on Thailand’s Pornpicha Choeikeewong. Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto will meet Ukraine’s Polina Buhrova and Yevheniia Kantemyr in their first match. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand will compete against Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Yu-Pei and Sun Yu-Hsin in the women’s doubles.

This tournament is a key part of the preparation for the Paris Olympics, with the Australian Open Super 500, Indonesia Super 1000, and Canada Open Super 500 still to come

Indian Athletes at the Singapore Open:

1. PV Sindhu (Women's singles)

2. HS Prannoy (Men's singles)

3. Lakshya Sen (Men's singles)

4. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty (Men's doubles)

5. Kidambi Srikanth (Men's singles)

6. Priyanshu Rajawat (Men's singles)

7. Aakarshi Kashyap (Women's singles)

8. Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto (Women's doubles)

9. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand (Women's doubles)

Where to Watch: The Singapore Open will be broadcast live on various sports networks and streaming platforms, including Star Sports and Hotstar.