Badminton News: Ten medals in ten years and Indian players are yearning for more when the BWF World Championships kick off in Copenhagen on Monday.
Led by the indomitable PV Sindhu, India’s commuters have dominated the World Championships, winning at least one medal in every edition since 2013. Sindhu opened the tally with a bronze medal in Guangzhou and bagged five medals including one of gold and one silver.
All eyes were on male double Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty. Ranked No. 2 in the world, where the pair are at the pinnacle of glory, a gold medal will also propel them to the top of the world rankings.
With their excellent form, they could become the first Indian pair to win men’s doubles gold and also go No.1. Head coach Pullela Gopichand says they can beat any pair in the world now.
“They’re in such good shape that they can beat any team. They’re already No. 2 and I’m sure they’ll hit the jackpot,” Gopichand said.
As several top teams are in the top half of the table, Satwik/Chirag should reach the semi-finals without too much of a hitch. The Asian champions are in top form and if there are no disappointments, they should finish on the top step of the podium. A semi-final appearance would secure bronze at the World Championships.
HS Prannoy, the most consistent singles player, will regret his luck. The Malaysia Masters champion is India’s top bettor in men’s singles. But the Kerala lad will meet the imperious Dane Viktor Axelsen in the quarter-finals. The reigning world and Olympic champion currently seems unbeatable.
Prannoy’s path to the quarter-finals was also not easy as he will face Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo of Indonesia in the second round and former world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore in the pre-quarter-finals.
Two other Indian players, Kidambi Srikanth and Lakshya got a better draw. 2021 Worlds silver medalist Srikanth is set to reach the quarter-finals due to his opponent’s possible withdrawal before quarter-final Antony Sinisuka Ginting. Indonesia’s second seed mourned the loss of her mother who passed away on August 9.
Lakshya also looked unstoppable until the quarter-finals. In the round of 16, he could face third seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand. Lakshya has beaten Vitidsarn several times and if he manages to do so again, he will have a great chance of winning another medal.
It’s hard for Sindhu
India’s most successful player in the world championship, Sindhu got a very tough draw. She received a bye in the first round and will likely face former world champion Ratchanok Intanon. Beating the Thai player may not be difficult, but waiting for him in the quarter-finals will be the top seed An Se Young.
The South Korean badminton player has never lost to Sindhu in six matches. But Sindhu has always been a great tournament player and will use that reputation to spite An.
Women’s doubles Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand will need to punch above their weight as they could meet Chinese top seeds Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan in the third round.
Gopichand hopes for a rich harvest of medals.
“Our players have done pretty well in the category. I expect medals from many of them. Sindhu is a great tournament player and excels in big events against all odds. Srikanth, Lakshya and Prannoy won several close matches against top opponents,” Gopi said, declining to say how many medals India will win.
“I don’t want to put that kind of pressure on my players. They had tough games against tough opponents and I’m sure they will live up to expectations,” he added.
Article Tags: India, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, BWF World Championships 2023
