Post by : Meena
Hassan
Anticipation builds for the Yonex-Sunrise India Open Super 750 as Indian badminton players gear up for fierce battles at the event in Delhi, scheduled from January 13 to 18. Hosted at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, this competition is not only thrilling but also crucial in preparation for the upcoming BWF World Championships at the same venue in August.
PV Sindhu, former world champion, faces a tough opponent in Vietnam's Thuy Linh Nguyen, who has bested her in their last two meetings. Ranked 22nd globally, Nguyen is coming off a successful year, setting a competitive atmosphere. A victory means Sindhu would meet either the second seed Wang Zhi Yi or her fellow teammate Gao Fang Jie next.
Defending champion Lakshya Sen begins his journey with a match against fellow Indian Ayush Shetty. This matchup ensures that at least three of the four Indian men’s singles players will progress. The winner will subsequently face either fourth seed Chou Tien Chen from Chinese Taipei or Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto, promising exciting encounters ahead.
Kidambi Srikanth, the former world number one, will challenge Lin Chun-Yi from Chinese Taipei, who is currently ranked 12th and was pivotal in their bronze win at the 2024 Thomas Cup. If successful, Srikanth could meet Christo Popov from France next, a notable rival after Popov’s historic win as the first Frenchman at the BWF World Tour Finals.
H S Prannoy, entering the main draw due to Anders Antonsen’s withdrawal, will face Lee Cheuk Yiu from Hong Kong, last year’s runner-up.
On the women’s side, Malvika Bansod returns from injury, competing with a protected ranking and going up against Pai Yu Po from Chinese Taipei in her opening match.
The tournament showcases notable matches, including top seed An Se Young against former champion Nozomi Okuhara and third seed Akane Yamaguchi clashing with compatriot Riko Gunji.
In doubles action, India’s Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy begin with a relatively straightforward match against American duo Chen Zhi Yi and Presley Smith, with tougher challenges anticipated in potential quarterfinals against Chinese eighth seeds Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi.
Women’s doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand will encounter Thailand’s Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn and Sukitta Suwachai in their first bout, aiming for a second-round face-off against China’s seventh seeds Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min.
With a blend of emerging talents and seasoned athletes, the Yonex-Sunrise India Open Super 750 is set to be a thrilling showcase of badminton excellence, setting the stage for an exciting season ahead.
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