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With shuttle queen Saina Nehwal withdrawing from this week’s $120,000 US Open to be staged at Anaheim, California from July 19-23, the onus lies on the men’s singles players to carry India’s title hopes. HS Prannoy, Sameer Verma and Parupalli Kashyap are the ones who will be leading the charge in Nehwal’s absence.
This is the second seeded Prannoy’s huge opportunity to make amends for his pre-quarter-final loss at last week’s Canada Open. He opens his campaign against the 107th ranked Austrian Luka Wraber. For the Indian, the only possible danger till the final could be the third seed Brice Leverdez.
The two are locked at 1-1 in their career meetings thus far and both those matches went the distance.
In the final, the top seed Lee Hyun II looms large. The Korean has a 2-0 record over the Indian and should be a tough customer.
Fifth seed and Syed Modi International winner Sameer Verma is the other big hope for the Indian contingent. The World No. 32, who has just recovered from a shoulder injury, was deprived from playing at the Canada Open because of a visa issue.
Verma has been drawn against Vietnam’s Hoang Nam Nguyen.
Kashyap, who too is on the comeback trail from a shoulder injury, has an uphill task in the first round as he faces the top seed Lee Hyun II.
Besides them, Abhishek Yelegar, Lakhanee Sarang and Harsheel Dani too are in the draw.
Talented youngsters in women’s singles
Saina Nehwal might not be there but the women’s singles draw still has some talented youngsters, who can make an impact.
National champion Rituparna Das meets Canada’s Rachel Honderich, Sri Krishna Priya Kudaravalli faces Maya Chen and Sai Uttejitha Rao Chukka has Gayle Mahulette first up.
For the Russian Open champion Ruthvika Shivani Gadde, her first round presents her with a shot at redemption as she meets the World No. 18 Aya Ohori, the very same player she had narrowly lost to at the Canada Open last week.
In men’s doubles, third seeds Manu Attri-B Sumeeth Reddy, fourth seeds Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty and Tarun Kona-Alwin Francis will be the ones competing.
In women’s doubles, India is represented by two pairs - Meghana Jakkampudi-Poorvisha S Ram and Kuhoo Garg-Ningshi Block Hazarika.
The third seeded mixed doubles pair of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy will be aiming to end their title drought. They are yet to taste title-winning glory since grabbing the Syed Modi International in January.
Other Indian teams in the draw are Manu Attri-K Maneesha and Tarun Kona-Meghana Jakkampudi.
