Indian shuttlers got tough draws in the upcoming Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships, to be held in Tokyo August 22-28, released on Wednesday. Five-time World Championships medallist Sindhu will have to beat reigning Asian Champion Wang Zhi Yi and South Korean youngster An Se Young, who enjoys a 5-0 head-to-head record against her, to reach the semifinals.
Apart from Sindhu, the 2015 silver medallist Saina Nehwal and world no. 48 Malvika Bansod will represent India in Women’s singles. If they win their respective opening round match, they will be facing world no. 1 Japanese Akane Yamaguchi and CWG silver medallist Michelle Li.
Last edition's silver and bronze medallists Kidambi Srikanth and Lakshya Sen and their Thomas Cup winning peer H.S. Prannoy have been clubbed in the same quarter, meaning only one Indian could reach the semifinal. And to do that, they also have to beat Kento Momota and Lee Zii Jia.
2019 bronze medallist B. Sai Praneeth is also in the draw.
In the men's doubles, the Indian pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty will have to outwit Japanese world champions Takuro Hoki and Japan Yugo Kobayashi to reach the semifinals.
In the women's doubles, the pair of Gayatri Gopcihand and Treesa Jolly, the Commonweath Games 2022 bronze medallists, will face CWG gold medallists Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan in the first round, who beat the Indians twice in Birmingham.
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