PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth Lead Indian Challenge at German Open
PV Sindhu will bear the responsibility of leading India's campaign in women's singles at the German Open in the absence of world No. 2 Saina Nehwal, who is still recovering from an ankle injury.
PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth will spearhead the Indian challenge at the USD 120,000 German Grand Prix Gold starting with the qualifiers on Tuesday. (Sindhu Hopes to Break Into Top 7 Before Rio Olympics)
World No. 2 Saina Nehwal, who had injured her ankle last year, will be skipping the tournament. (Saina Pulls Out of Badminton Asia Team Championships)
She is yet to play an international tournament this year and is trying to achieve full fitness ahead of the prestigious All England championship.
In her absence, onus will be on Sindhu to lead India's campaign in women's singles.
Sindhu, who clinched the Malaysia Masters early in the year, has been going through a rough patch lately as she lost to young compatriot Ruthvika Shivani Gadde in the South Asian Games, before suffering losses to Japan's Nozomi Okuhara and Korea's Ji Hyun Sung in the Badminton Asia Championship.
The 20-year-old from Hyderabad, who had also bowed out in the second round of Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold after losing to Nitchaon Jindapol, will look to turn around things when she faces USA's Rong Schafer in the opening round of the German Open.
On the other hand, Srikanth, who clinched the Syed Modi Grand title in Lucknow last month, has been in good form and guided the men's team to a historic bronze medal in the Badminton Asia Championship.
The sixth seeded Indian will have a tricky first round opponent in the form of Japan's Takuma Ueda.
Among other Indians, young Sameer Verma will meet Ukraine's Dmytro Zavadsky. Eleventh seed Parupalli Kashyap, making a comeback after recovering from multiple injuries, will face Ukraine's Artem Pochtarev in his campaign-opener.
Ajay Jayaram, B Sai Praneeth and HS Prannoy have, however, withdrawn from the event.
In men's doubles, Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy will look to have a good outing as the world No. 20 pair is racing against time to qualify for the Rio Olympics. They will take on the English combo of Marcus Ellis and Chris Langridge in the first round.