PV Sindhu to skip Thailand Open, Saina Nehwal set to play three upcoming tournaments

Indias ace badminton player and Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu has been rested from the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold event while senior pro Saina Nehwal will be participating in all three upcoming tournaments.

India is set to send full teams for the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold (May 30-June 4), Indonesia Open Super Series (June 12-18) and Australian Open Super Series (June 20-25). The Thailand Open will also feature various youngsters as Indian shuttlers are set to be part of a busy international calendar.

The Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Thursday announced the teams for the next three tournaments after a selection committee meeting was held in Kolkata during last two days.

The Selection committee declared the names of the players who are set to be part of the upcoming tournaments beginning with Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold (May 30th-June 4th), followed by Indonesia Open Super Series (June 12th - June 18th) and Australian Open Super Series (June 20th - June 25th).

World No. 22 Sai Praneeth will lead the Indian challenge in Thailand in the men’s singles along with fit-again Parupalli Kashyap in action. In the women’s singles, World No. 9 and 2012 Thailand Open winner Saina Nehwal will be the cynosure of all Indian hopes. 

Harsheel Dani, Siril Verma, Rahul Yadav, Subhankar Dey will represent the country in men’s singles, while in the women’s singles category it will be Ira Sharma, Ruthvika Shivani, Akarshi Kashyap and Rituparna Das who will be in action as well apart from Saina.

Shlok Ramachandra and MR Arjun will be the lone Indian pair in the men’s doubles category, while the pair of J Meghna and Poorvisha Ram will vie it out in the women’s doubles competition.

In Indonesia Open and Australia Open, India’s hopes will rest on the duo of World No 4 PV Sindhu and Saina. In the men’s singles, World No 13 Ajay Jayaram will lead the strong Indian contingent along with 2017 Singapore Open finalist Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy, Sai Praneeth, Sameer Verma and Kashyap.

Ashwini Ponappa/Sikki Reddy will be the lone Indian pair in the women’s doubles competition. The team of Pranaav Jerry Chopra/Sikki Reddy and Sumeeth Reddy/ Ashwini P will feature in the mixed doubles action.

“We have announced the team in advance so that the players can plan their travel properly and have ample time to prepare better both physically and mentally for the tournaments,” Anup Narang, Honorary General Secretary and official spokesperson of BAI said.

Full List:

Thailand Open (May 30 - June 4)

Men’s Singles  

Rahul Yadav, Harsheel Dani, SubhankarDey, P Kashyap, B.Sai Praneeth, Siril Verma, Sourav Verma

Women's Singles

Saina Nehwal, Rituparna Das, RuthvikaShivani, Akarshi Kashyap, Ira Sharma

Women's Doubles 

J Meghna/Poorvisha Ram

Men's Doubles

Shlok Ramachandra/MR Arjun

Indonesia Open (June 12 - June 18):

Men’s Singles 

Ajay Jayaram, Kidambi Srikanth, H.S Prannoy, P Kashyap, B.Sai Praneeth, Sameer Verma

Women's Singles 

PV Sindhu, SainaNehwal

Women's Doubles 

Ashwini Ponappa/Sikki Reddy

Mixed Doubles

Pranaav Jerry Chopra/Sikki Reddy, SumeethReddy/Ashwini Ponappa

Men's Doubles

Manu Attri/SumeethReddy, Chirag Shetty/Satwik Sairaj

Australian Open (June 20 - June 25):

Men’s Singles 

Kidambi Srikanth, Sameer Verma, Parupalli Kashyap, Ajay Jayaram, H.S. Prannoy, Sai Praneeth

Women's Singles

Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu

Men's Doubles

Manu Attri/Sumeeth Reddy, Chirag Shetty/Satwik Sairaj

Women's Doubles 

Ashwini Ponappa/Sikki Reddy

Mixed Doubles  

Pranaav Jerry Chopra/Sikki Reddy, Sumeeth Reddy/Ashwini Ponappa. 

With PTI inputs