The Paris Olympics 2024, the world's largest sporting event, is set to unfold on July 26, and like all star athletes around the globe, Indian shuttlers are also gearing up for glory. Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu has an easy path ahead, but Lakshya Sen faces a more challenging journey. (More Badminton News)
The 29-year-old, on her quest to secure a third Olympic medal, has been seeded 10th this time and is placed in what appears to be an easy group. In the round of 16, Sindhu could potentially face China's sixth seed, He Bing Jiao.
If she secures victory over Bing Jiao, it will earn her a spot in the quarterfinals, perhaps booking up a meeting with Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei of China.
Nevertheless, Sindhu, who won the silver medal at the Rio Games and followed that with a bronze in Tokyo Olympics, has not had the smoothest of runs on the road to France. To achieve a hat-trick of medals at the Summer Games, the Indian shuttler will need to exert extra effort.
Meanwhile, speaking of men's singles, India has HS Prannoy making his debut in the marquee event. He is seeded 13th and is placed in Group K, which includes Vietnam's Le Duc Phat (WR 70) and Germany's Fabian Roth (WR 82). Meaning, a favorable matchup for the Indian shuttler based on their rankings.
The second Indian in the men's singles, Lakshya Sen, ranked 19, has been drawn in Group L and face a daunting task ahead in his battle for pride. He not only enters the Paris Games 2024 unseeded but also has third seed and world number three Jonatan Christie of Indonesia in his group. In addition, they both are joined by Guatemala's Kevin Cordon (WR 41) and Belgium's Julien Carragi (WR 52).
Lakshya has an inferior 1-4 head-to-head record against Christie with the Indonesian getting the better of the 22-year-old twice this year already.
Interestingly, if both star male players from India make it to the Round of 16, India and the world will witness the battle between HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen. And what an intriguing clash it will be!
Among the Indian contingent shining in Paris on the badminton stage will be the world number 19 duo of Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa. They find themselves placed in the formidable Group C of the women's doubles event.
In their draw, the Indian pair might face off against world number 4 Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida of Japan, Tokyo Olympics bronze medalists Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong of South Korea (WR 7), and Australians Setyana Mapasa and Angela Yu (WR 27).
And who can forget the favorites - India's men's pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty? The star duo has been seeded third in the men's doubles event.
Satwik-Chirag, India's best hope for a medal at this Olympics, are still awaiting confirmation of their group. The men's doubles draw for the Paris Olympics was postponed due to a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing regarding the number of pairs in the draw. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has yet to announce the rescheduled draw date.
(With PTI inputs)
