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India have further cemented their stature as a rising badminton powerhouse by securing four quota spots each in men’s singles and women’s singles at the prestigious World Championships, scheduled to be held in Glasgow from August 21-27.
In women’s singles, the 79th ranked Tanvi Lad and reigning national champion Rituparna Das have joined PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal as the four entrants for the global event. India, Japan and China are the only three countries to have achieved the full quota of four players in this category.
Big achievement for India after a long gap
This will be the first time in 32 years that India will be able to send four players in women’s singles, emulating the 1985 World Championships when Hufrish Nariman, Madhumita Bisht, Ami Ghia and Deepti Thanekar represented the country.
In men’s singles, the Syed Modi International winner Sameer Verma was initially a reserve but got through alongside Ajay Jayaram, Srikanth Kidambi and B Sai Praneeth.
Apart from India, the other countries to have grabbed all four berths in this particular section are China, Denmark and Hong Kong.
Can Prannoy still make it through?
India’s HS Prannoy, who stole the show at the Indonesia Open, remains the overall reserve player No. 5. The World No. 23 does have slim chances, though.
If the four ahead of him pull out 48 hours before the draw is made on August 9, he can find himself in the draw. That said, it is the prerogative of the Badminton Association of India to decide who the final four will be.
Prannoy is right now in the semi-finals of the ongoing US Open Grand Prix Gold being held in California. His performance this week will hold the key to influencing BAI’s decision provided they at all want any change in the final squad.
China still remains the team to beat, having obtained four quota spots in each of the five categories - men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles. Defending men’s singles champion Chen Long has earned a wild card by virtue of his Rio Olympic gold medal and his two world titles in 2014 and 2015, although the superpower will miss their other superstar, Li Xuerui. The 2012 Olympic gold medallist is recuperating from a knee injury sustained at the Rio Games.
