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The stage is getting set for a potentially thrilling 104th edition of the All England Badminton Championships to be played from 4th to 9th March inside the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. The Indian challenge is spearheaded by the 7th seeded Saina Nehwal and world No. 9 P V Sindhu among women.
India’s top two women badminton players received contrasting draws for the Championships, certainly one of the most coveted titles on the badminton circuit. Saina and Sindhu met recently in the final of the Indian Open at Lucknow – their first official meeting on court, where Saina celebrated a 21-14, 21-17 victory to take the title. It is by no means guaranteed, but if the rub of the green works in their favour, the two could meet this time in the semifinals of this marquee event.
In this feature, we give you the lowdown on the draw and all that you should look out for in the first week of March.
First Quarter
At the head of the table is the top seeded Li Xuerui who takes on the 17th ranked Busanan Ongbumrungpan in what promises to be an engaging first round encounter. The two have met twice in the past and the matches went the distance on both occasions, before Xuerui emerged victor. Her likely quarterfinal opponent could be the fifth seed Sung Ji Hyun, but the Korean will have to deal with Lindaweni Fanetri to reach the last eight.
Semifinalist: Li Xuerui
Darkhorse: Lindaweni Fanetri
Second Quarter
She is the rising star on the badminton firmament. Ratchanok Intanon is in a strong vein of form, having reached the final of the Korea Open in January. Last year she became the youngest ever finalist at the All England, where she succumbed to Tine Rasmussen. The world No.3 will open her campaign against Juan Gu, carrying a 2-1 edge over her Singaporean opponent.
Ratchanon’s likely second round opponent could be the 12th ranked Nichaon Jindapon, who she has beaten three times in a row. A stern test could present itself in the form of Tai Tzu Ying in the quarterfinals. The 19 year old defeated the world No.8 from Taipei in the first round last year, but the two have split their eight meetings thus far.
Semifinalist: Ratchanok Intanon
Darkhorse: Nichaon Jindapon
Third Quarter
The bottom half of this year’s draw will be closely followed by fans in India as that is where the Indian queens are placed. Saina may not have to face a real Chinese test till she likely meets Wang Shixian in the last eight. Scott Kirsty Gilmour may not really trouble the Indian in the first round, but a testy second round awaits in the form of veteran Juliane Schenk.
Saina has an 8-4 edge over the German, but she will be weary of the fact that the German trounced her 12-21, 21-13, 21-14 in their last meeting in the semis of the Djarum Indonesia Open last year. Saina has also won 4 of her 6 matches against Wang, her likely opponent in the quarterfinals, but suffered a reverse at the Swiss Open last year after winning four in a row over the 4th ranked Chinese.
Interestingly, Saina had taken down the Chinese in an intense three game affair last year at the same stage. With her form much better, she has a great chance again to reach the last four of the tournament for a second straight year.
Semifinalist: Saina Nehwal
Darkhorse: Eriko Hirose, the first round opponent of Wang Shixian
Fourth Quarter
P V Sindhu may be rising up the ranks, but at 9th in the world, she is not a seeded entry and has to navigate a minefield to run deep in this edition of the All England Championships. The seeds in this quarter are world No.2 Yihan Wang and 6th ranked Bae Yeon Ju of Korea.
Bae faces a tricky second round test in the form of Porntip Buranaprasertsuk – the two haven’t met since the Indian Open in 2011, where the 10th ranked Thai emerged victor to clinch the title. Yihan has to deal with the promising Spaniard Carolina Marin, who took her to three games in their only meeting so far at the Singapore Open last year.
Meanwhile, Sindhu has Sun Yu staring at her in the first round. The 20 year old stretched Sindhu to the limit when they met last year at the Indian Open, before the teenaged Indian prevailed 19-21, 21-19, 21-15. Sindhu could go on to face Yihan in the second round, but she can carry the confidence of beating her in the round of 16 last year at the World Championships in Guangzhou last year.
Semifinalist: Yihan Wang
Darkhorse: Carolina Marin, the first round opponent of Yihan Wang
