Seoul: The Korea Open Super 500 badminton tournament is set to kick off on Tuesday, and Indian badminton stars PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth are eager to secure their first titles of the season. With a tough draw ahead, both players will need to display consistency and skill as they compete in the prestigious competition.
PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist, faces a challenging road at the Korea Open 2023, taking place from July 18 to 23 in Yeosu, the Republic of Korea. In the first round of the Women’s singles event, Sindhu is scheduled to face Chinese Taipei’s Pai Yu Po, who is currently ranked 23rd in the world. If Sindhu advances, she might come up against Chen Yufie from the Republic of China in the second round, who is the reigning Olympic champion and currently holds the world No. 3 ranking.
The Indian contingent at the Korea Open is sizable, with a total of 33 members representing the country. Among them is Lakshya Sen, who recently clinched the Canada Open title and reached the semifinals of the US Open. Sen will aim to maintain his momentum as he competes in the men’s singles competition. Kidambi Srikanth, former World No. 1 and currently world ranking 20, will also return to action after a break since the Indonesia Open last month. Meanwhile, HS Prannoy, ranked ninth in the world, will make his comeback after missing both the US and Canada Opens.
The doubles sections of the tournament will also witness the return of some high-profile Indian pairs. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, the country’s best men’s doubles duo and currently ranked third in the world, will participate in South Korea. Known as the ‘Brothers of Destruction,’ they recently emerged as champions at the Indonesia Open. Additionally, Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly, India’s best women’s doubles pair, will be back on the court after a month-long break.
The results of the Korea Open will hold significant importance as they will contribute to the qualification ranking for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. With the badminton qualification period starting on May 1 this year, players will aim to perform their best and accumulate valuable points to enhance their chances of participating in the prestigious global event.
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