India’s Tanya Hemanth and Sankar Muthusamy given top seeding at Russian Junior International Badminton Series

Tanya Hemanth and Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian of India have been given top billing in the Junior White Nights International Badminton Series 2021 in Russia.

The Under-19 tournament, organized by the National Badminton Federation of Russia, will be held in Gatchina, Russia from July 1 to 4.

In both the Under-19 boys singles and U-19 girls singles, Indian shuttlers will be the top seeds. Besides these two, one more Indian player, Saneeth Dayanand Shimoga, will also compete in the U-19 boys singles category.

Most of the participants are from Europe, with hosts Russia having maximum entries in all five categories.

Tanya Hemanth, who is ranked fifth in the BAI’s junior rankings, has a bye in the first round and will face Anna Kirillova of Russia in the second round.

Tanya’s first big hurdle is likely to come in the quarter-finals where she might face third seed Lucie Amiguet of Switzerland.

Tanya, a trainee at Bengaluru-based Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy (PPBA), is a hot favorite to win the title if she plays to her potential.

Russia’s Aleksandra Chushkina is the second seed, while Switzerland’s Vera Appenzeller will be the fourth seed. Tanya will have to get the better of one of the two players to emerge as champions.

I have a very good chance of winning the title, says Tanya

“I am very excited as this is the first tournament where I am the top seed. Also after the Poland tournament earlier this year, I didn’t get to play other tournaments due to the host country restrictions. Now I am ready to give my full effort to claim the title. I am thankful to the PPBA team which encouraged me to participate. I feel I have a very good chance of winning the tournament,” said Tanya.

17-year-old Tanya reached the venue on Wednesday with her father Hemanth Kumar.

India's other medal hope: Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian

Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian of Tamil Nadu will lock horns with Russia’s Bogdan Nazarov in the second round after a bye in the opening round.

Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian

Sankar Muthusamy, who is ranked No. 1 in India in the juniors, is likely to clash with third seed Mathis Chanthakesone of Switzerland in the quarter-finals.

The Tamil Nadu teenager is regarded as one of the most promising players in the country and had a fantastic domestic season in 2019. Sankar is seeded top for the men's division in the tournament.

If he lives up to his seeding then Sankar Muthusamy may meet Switzerland’s Nicolas Franconville, who is the second seed, in the final on Sunday.

Saneeth Dayanand Shimoga will take on local player Ivan Samulenkov in the first round on Thursday. In the BAI U-19 rankings, Saneeth is ranked No. 10. Karnataka’s Saneeth is a talented player and did well in the All India Junior Ranking tournaments last season.