Malaysia Open 2023: The Indian shuttlers would be desperate to shine in the season-opening tournament. The return of PV Sindhu would also highlight it.
Ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu will be in a tough test as she returns from a five-month injury lay-off. The top Indian shuttlers, including HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen, will be desperate to begin the new year positively at the 2023 Malaysia Open from Tuesday. After a highly-successful 2022, India's star shuttlers desire to raise the bar in 2023, with the Paris Olympic qualification period starting in May. With a bunch of ranking points at stake, Indian shuttlers will face off against other big stars, like World No.1 Viktor Axelsen, Lee Zii Jia, Akane Yamugachi, Tai Tzu ying of Malaysia, aiming for a suitable show in the $1,250,000 Super 1000 tournament in Kuala Lampur.
After returning from an ankle injury, double Olympic medallist Sindhu gets her campaign underway versus former World Champion Spain's Carolina Marin. Sindhu last played at the 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG) in August, and it will be an exciting battle versus Marin, who has won the last three meetings versus the Indian and puffs of a better 9-5 head-to-head record.
In the men's singles, World No. 10 Sen, the only seeded Indian, will contend in a round of one-upmanship versus companion and world no. 8 Prannoy in Round 1. Meanwhile, former world no. 1 Kidambi Srikanth will get his campaign underway versus unseeded Kenta Nishimoto of Japan. A triumph will likely put Srikanth up versus fifth seed Jonatan Christie while defending champion Axelsen is also placed in the same quarter.
In the men's doubles, World No. 5 Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who won the CWG championship, India Open and French Open last year, will cross swords with Choi Sol-gyu and Kim Wan-ho of South Korea in the opening round. World Championships bronze medallists Satwik and Chirag, seeded seventh, will likely face home favourites Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in the quarterfinal, provided they get past the initial rounds.
Saina Nehwal, Aakarshi Kashyap and Malvika Bansod are also in the strife in women's singles. While Saina meets unseeded Han Yue of China, Aakarshi will be up versus Hsu Wen-chi, and Malvika of Chinese Taipei will face second seed Korea's An Se-young. In women's doubles, CWG bronze medallists Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand will meet Yeung Nga Ting and Yeung Pui Lam of Hong Kong in Round 1.
At the same time, Ashwini Bhat and Shikha Gautam have been pitted against Supissara Paewsampran and Putita Supajirakul of Thailand. India's mixed doubles pair Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto will take on Robin Tabeling and Selena Piek of the Netherlands in the opening round.
(With inputs from PTI)