New Delhi: It’s the same old story at the senior national badminton championships. World No.6 Saina Nehwal continues to stay away from the tournament, this time even after the draw was out. In Saina’s absence, the focus will be on world championships bronze medallist P.V.
Sindhu as the event get under way here on Wednesday.
Having already pocketed Grand Prix Gold titles in Malaysia and Macau, last year’s runner up Sindhu will be looking to end the year on a high. “I want to win my second title, but it will not be easy. There are many good players in the draw. I will give my best,” said the second seed.
“I didn't want to start the nationals in this manner. It is not a major injury, but I chose to skip the team event to spend more time in rehab. But I will surely be there to defend my singles title,“ Kashyap said.
Later in the day, BAI explained Saina's with drawal in an email saying, “She is down with fever and chest congestion. She has been advised rest by doc tors hence she is not going to play in the nationals. “She has also decided to pull out of next month’s Korea Superseries.” Despite the federation’s mandatory clause for players recently, Saina has now skipped the event six years in a row.
In the women’s section, Sindhu, PSPB compatriots P. C. Thulasi and Arundhati Pantawane were placed in bottom half of the draw, while defending champion Sayali Gokhale, Ruthvika Shivani G., Neha Pandit
and Aditi Mutatkar are expected to dominate the top half. Sindhu is likely to meet Thulasi for a place in the semi-finals.
Among the men, Kashyap’s first tough challenger will be in-form H.S.
Prannoy, while fourth seed Anand Pawar will have to overcome former champion Arvind Bhat, and fifth seed K. Srikanth to advance.
Third seed Ajay Jayaram is expected to run into sixth seed Sai Praneeth, even as second seed R.M.V. Guru Sai Dutt is set to face Anup Sridhar or Sourabh Varma.
Second seeds Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa are expected to meet top seeds Pradnya Gadre and N. Sikki Reddy in the women’s doubles final.
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