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The Badminton World Championships start in Denmark on Monday 25th August. Denmark will host the tournament for the fourth time. The Indian shuttlers have been handed a tough draw and will have to dig deep to get a step on the podium.
Here is a preview of how they will fair in Denmark.
Men’s Singles:
1) Kashyap Parupalli
Although he is India’s number two according to present BWF ranking (world number 27), Kashyap Parupalli is the reigning CWG champion and presently the best Indian male badminton player irrespective of the ranking. He opens his campaign against German Dieter Domke (world number 43). He leads 5-1 in head-to-head and should make it to the second round.
Unfortunately, Parupalli’s potential second round opponent is world number one Lee Chong Wee. Lee is expecting to capture his maiden world championship crown in absence of his arch rival and defending champion China’s Lin Dan. Prediction: 2nd round exit
2) Srikanth K.
India’s top ranked men’s single player (world number 23), but not in the best of form. His consistency in the game is a big problem. But on a given day he can defeat the best of the lot. He has an easy first round opponent, Slovenian Utrosa Iztok (world number 114).
His probable second round opponent will be 16th seed Malaysian Chong Wei Feng. If he plays his natural game, he can beat the Malaysian to set up a potential clash with world number two China’s Chen Long.
Prediction: 3rd round exit
3) Ajay Jayram
The stars are shining bright for Ajay Jayram. The world number 89 got a first round walkover from Japanese fourth seed Kenichi Tago.
His second round opponent mostly would be Thailand’s world number 21 Saesomboonsuk Tanongsak. And if Ajay clears this difficult hurdle, he is bound to face tournament 11th seed Tian Houwei of China.
Prediction: 2nd round exit
Women’s Singles:
1) Saina Nehwal
Saina Nehwal skipped the CWG so that she recovers from her groin injury and is fit to grab the World Championship medal. She would like to break the jinx of her quarter-final exits (four times). Seeded seventh, Nehwal has a bye in round one.
Her first test will come in round 3 where she will face Japanese 13th seed Takahashi Sayaka. Saina’s opponent in the last would be world number one Li Xuerui of China. Breaking this wall of China will be big task for Saina. Li leads 7-2 in their head-to-head battles.
Prediction: Quarter-final
2) PV Sindhu
The 2013 Bronze medalist did not have much success on court this year. She needs to be at her best in all her matches to match her 2013 feat or to even reach the last eight. The draw is not favourable to her at all.
Seeded 11th she gets bye in round one. Her first challenge will be in round 3, against sixth seed Bae Yeon Ju of South Korea. Sindhu has lost against Bae in their last meeting in straight sets. If she does clear this stage, she faces world number two Wang Shixian in the quarter-final. Sindhu leads Wang 3-2 in their meetings, but Wang has won the last two matches.
Prediction: Quarter-final
Women’s Doubles:
1) Jwala Gutta/Ashwini Ponappa :
Gutta and Ponappa are the first Indian badminton pair to win a world championship medal (bronze in 2011). After a first round walkover, they have to face Olympic gold medalists from China, fifth seed pair of Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei. Breaching this wall will be a tough task, but a good fight is expected.
Prediction: 2nd round exit
2) Prajakta Sawant/Arathi Sara Sunil
Without any pressure of expectation, the world number 92 pair should try to make the best of this opportunity. They face an Indonesian pair in their first round.
Prediction: 1st round exit
Men’s Doubles:
1) Pranav Cherry Chopra/Akshay Dewalkar
They showed their fighting spirit in the recent concluded CWG event. The world number 39 pair faces the Hong Kong pair of Yun Lung Chan and Chun Hei Lee. It is expected from them to enter the second round where they face fifth seed pair of Ki Jung Kim and Sa Rang Kim from South Korea.
Prediction: 2nd round exit
2) Manu Attri/Sumeeth Reddy
They are also expected to clear there first round against world no. 42 from Russia. Their biggest test will be in round two against Japanese 15th seeds Hirokatsu Hashimoto and Noriyasu Hirata.
Prediction: 2nd round
Mixed Doubles:
1) Tarun Kona/Ashwini Ponappa
Absence of a good mixed doubles pair had cost the Indian team in CWG mixed team event. The world number 39 pair have not tasted any success yet. Moreover, the draw is tough for this pair. Their first round opponents are Denmark’s world number 16 pair of Anders Kristiansen and Julie Houmann. Prediction: 1st round exit
2) Arun Vishnu/Aparna Balan
The world number 52 pair will face Brazilian world number 54 pair in the first round. The draw should see the Indian pair go through to second round, where they face sixth seed German pair of Michael Fuchs and Birgit Michels.
Prediction: 2nd round exit
