Top Indian badminton players, including PV Sindhu, are ready to fight for medals at the Badminton Asia Championships which starts this week. This is a big event because it’s the last chance for athletes to earn points to qualify for the Olympics in Paris.
Also Read: PV Sindhu Partners with Badminton Legend Prakash Padukone for 2024 Paris Olympics Prep
PV Sindhu Leads the Way in Women’s Singles
While the withdrawal of India’s top men’s doubles team is a setback, there’s a lot of hope riding on the shoulders of the women’s singles players.
PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist, has been getting closer to her best form recently. She even took the current Olympic champion, Chen Yufei, to three games in a recent tournament. Sindhu will be looking to avoid close defeats that frustrate her, and will be aiming for a strong start against Goh Jin Wei of Malaysia in the first round.
Aakarshi Kashyap is the other Indian woman competing in singles. She will face Busanan Ongbamrungphan from Thailand in her opening match.
Ah, nothing like a good old grind! 😅
Always happy to get a win in tricky, drifty conditions with a new team sitting behind me ❤️
And what makes it even more special is having a true legend of Indian badminton by my side, taking on a coaching assignment after 25 years just to… pic.twitter.com/EuCcPz1J69
— Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) March 6, 2024
Men’s Singles Packed with Exciting Match-Ups
Lakshya Sen, who has been playing well recently, will be looking to almost secure his spot in the Paris Olympics. His first challenge will be against China’s top seed Shi Yu Qi. Lakshya will be hoping to repeat his win over Shi from the Asian Games.
HS Prannoy, a recent world championship bronze medalist, will be up against China’s Lu Guang Zu. Prannoy hasn’t been at his best lately due to health issues, but will be hoping to turn the tables on his opponent after losing three previous matches.
Kidambi Srikanth, who has been struggling for consistency, faces a tough challenge against the highly ranked Anthony Ginting of Indonesia. Youngster Priyanshu Rajawat will also be tested in his opening round match against Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia.
Doubles Teams Aim to Make Their Mark
With the top Indian men’s doubles pair (Satwik-Chirag) missing due to injury, the responsibility falls on Arjun MR and Dhruv Kapila to carry the hopes in men’s doubles. They will start their campaign against a strong Chinese pair. Krishna Prasad Garaga and Sai Pratheek K are also in contention for the men’s doubles title.
In women’s doubles, Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa, who are in a close race to qualify for the Olympics, will face an Indonesian pair. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand will also be looking to make a mark against a highly seeded Chinese team.
Overall, this is a crucial tournament for Indian badminton players. A strong performance will not only bring them closer to Olympic qualification but also boost their confidence for the upcoming season.
