India’s premier female badminton player aims to rediscover her form after a setback at the Paris Olympics this August. The conversation in Indian badminton has shifted to changes and the future of women’s singles following PV Sindhu’s exit in the last 16 stage of the Paris Olympics.
Returning to action after her Olympic disappointment, the 29-year-old has faced challenges in regaining her peak form. In the previous month, Sindhu was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Denmark Open. More recently, she was defeated in the round of 16 at the China Masters, following a second-round loss at the Japan Masters.
Now ranked world No. 19, Sindhu hopes to find solace and success on home ground as she seeks her third title in the Syed Modi India International, beginning on Tuesday at the Uttar Pradesh Badminton Academy courts. The event, a Super 300 tournament, features a depleted field that is unlikely to present a significant challenge. Malvika Bansod, world No. 36, is the second seed. The 32-player draw includes 13 lower-ranked international players.
Sindhu’s first match is against 17-year-old compatriot Anmol Kharb, a rising star who has secured the Belgium and Poland International Challenge titles this year.
Malvika, who was the runner-up in 2022, is among those looking to make an impact, along with third seed Aakarshi Kashyap, sixth seed Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj, and fifth seed Anupama Upadhyaya.
In the men’s singles, Lakshya Sen is targeting his first title at this event. The 2021 World Championships bronze-medallist’s most recent title was the Canada Open in 2023. At 23, Lakshya has had a consistent year, reaching the semifinals at the All England Championships, French Open, and Paris Olympics, where he lost the bronze playoff to Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia.
Priyanshu Rajawat, who was eliminated in the first round of the China Masters, is the second seed. Other notable Indian players include third seed Kiran George, 2023 World Junior Championships bronze medallist Ayush Shetty, Odisha Masters winner Sathish Karunakaran, and national champion Chirag Sen.
In the doubles category, former world No.1 pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty lead the men’s field, while top seeds Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto, and second seeds Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly, are the main contenders in the women’s doubles.
