NEW DELHI: Indian badminton will look to turn the page on a disappointing Asian Games campaign when the BWF World Tour resumes with the USD 500,000 Arctic Open Super 500 in Finland on Tuesday, with two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu leading the country’s challenge.India’s shuttlers returned from the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with just one medal and four quarterfinal finishes, two medals fewer than their tally at the previous edition in Hangzhou. Badminton was among the major disappointments, having contributed three medals at Hangzhou, including a gold.India eventually finished fourth in the overall Asian Games standings with 85 medals, including 21 gold, but the badminton campaign left plenty of room for improvement.
Sindhu looks to build on Japan Open triumph
Sindhu, who lost a tight women’s singles quarterfinal to China’s Chen Yufei at the Asian Games, will be looking for a strong response in Finland.The 31-year-old former world champion has, however, enjoyed some encouraging results this season. She won the Japan Open and also reached the quarterfinals of the World Championships in New Delhi.Sindhu has been handed a qualifier in the opening round and will hope to make the most of a favourable start as she looks to regain consistency on the World Tour.In men’s singles, former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy will also be eager to rediscover their best form. Both were part of India’s bronze-medal-winning men’s team at the Asian Games but did not feature in a match.Srikanth, who reached the final of the US Open Super 300 earlier this year, will begin against Canada’s Brian Yang.Prannoy faces a significantly tougher opening assignment against fourth seed Anders Antonsen of Denmark. The 34-year-old Kerala shuttler has struggled for consistency since last year, although he did reach the quarterfinals of the Vietnam Open recently.
Youngsters bring fresh momentum
India’s women’s singles challenge also features several players who have enjoyed encouraging results this season.Tanvi Sharma, winner of the Taipei Open Super 300, will face Chinese Taipei’s Chiu Pin-Chian, while Vietnam Open Super 100 runner-up Isharani Baruah has drawn top seed Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand.Ashmita Chaliha, who claimed her maiden BWF World Tour title at the Korea Masters Super 300, will open against seventh seed Line Christophersen of Denmark.Unnati Hooda will face China’s Han Qian Xi after making headlines at the Asian Games by stunning world No. 6 Putri Kusuma Wardani of Indonesia.In men’s doubles, Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun take on England’s Alex Green and Zach Russ. Fifth seeds Krishna Prasad Garaga and Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy will face China’s He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu.For India’s shuttlers, the Arctic Open offers an immediate opportunity to put the Asian Games disappointment behind them and begin the next phase of the season with renewed confidence.
