Can Satwik-Chirag Lead India's Charge at the Hong Kong Open?

Hong Kong, Sep 8 (NationPress) The finest badminton players from India are gearing up for a thrilling week as the Hong Kong Open Super 500 commences on Tuesday. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are at the forefront, following their impressive bronze medal achievement at the World Championships in Paris.

Currently holding the title of world No. 3, this dynamic duo has consistently delivered exceptional performances on the BWF Tour this season, achieving several semifinal placements in India, Malaysia, China, and Singapore. Seeded eighth in the tournament, they will kick off their campaign against Chinese Taipei’s Chiu Hsiang Chieh and Wang Chi-Lin.

In the women's singles, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu will look to carry forward her momentum after a strong performance against Wang Zhi Yi of China at the Worlds, as she faces Denmark’s Line Christophersen.

Meanwhile, Lakshya Sen, a former world No. 6, is still on the hunt for form after a fourth-place finish at the Paris Olympics and will challenge Wang Tzu Wei from Chinese Taipei. Following a series of tough matches and health issues, including a first-round exit at the Worlds, he is eager to make a comeback.

Veteran player HS Prannoy will go up against Japan’s fifth seed Kodai Naraoka, which promises to be another tough match. Additionally, young star Ayush Shetty, who recently won the US Open, is set for a difficult opening against China’s Lu Guang Zu.

In women's singles, Anupama Upadhyaya will challenge fourth seed Tomoka Miyazaki from Japan, while Rakshitha Ramraj will face the former world champion Ratchanok Intanon from Thailand.

The doubles category features Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi competing in men's doubles, as well as Rutaparna and Swetaparna Panda in women's doubles.

In mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto will be looking to build on their recent quarterfinal success at the World Championships against Chen Cheng Kuan and Hsu Yin-Hui from Chinese Taipei. Additionally, Rohan Kapoor and Gadde Ruthvika Shivani will face the challenging task against the second seeds Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping from China.

A highlight of the qualifiers is the all-Indian matchup between former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth and Tharun Mannepalli. Srikanth remains the only Indian to have reached a Super 500 final this year, achieving a runner-up position at the Malaysia Masters.

Additionally, Kiran George will be up against Malaysia’s Cheam June Wei, while S Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian competes against Canada’s Wang Yue Hang.