Indonesia Masters: Title-holder Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu could face off in second round

Indian shuttlers are looking to make an impact in the badminton tournaments ahead of the Tokoyo Olympics 2020.

With the Indonesia Masters Super 500 tournament beginning in Jakarta from Tuesday, Olympic medallists PV Sindhu and titleholder Saina Nehwal are likely to square off in the second round.

Sindhu and Saina looked in good form in the Malaysia Masters before their campaign ended in the quarterfinals. 

While Sindhu will hope to find her rhythm after a 16-21 16-21 loss to her nemesis Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei, Saina too will look to recover from the bitter 8-21 7-21 defeat to three-time former world champion Carolina Marin of Spain.

In the Indonesia Masters, fifth seed Sindhu will play against Japan’s Aya Ohori, while Saina will face Japanese Sayaka Takahashi in her opening match.

Both, if win their first round, will crossroads in what would be their fifth encounter at the international stage. Sindhu has a 1-3 record against Saina, who has always had the upper hand.

Among other Indians, Kidambi Srikanth - who lost in the first round of Malaysia Masters - will start his campaign against Indonesia’s Shesar Hiren Rhustavito.

World Championships bronze medallist B Sai Praneeth will face eighth-seeded Chinese Shi Yu Qi.

Parupalli Kashyap and HS Prannoy will open against local stars Anthony Sinisuka Ginting and Jonatan Christie respectively. Sameer Verma will meet veteran Tommy Sugiarto in the first round.

In doubles, men’s pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will battler it off against Indonesian heroes Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan who are seeded second.

Women’s pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy will meet Japanese combination of Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida. The mixed pair of Satwik and Ashwini will take on Ireland’s Sam Magee and Chloe Magee.

The other mixed doubles pair Pranaav Jerry Chopra and Sikki will face a qualifier in the first round.