PV Sindhu, B Sai Praneeth Get Easy Draws in Tokyo Olympics 2020; Tough Task For Chirag Shetty-Satwiksairaj Rankireddy

In women's singles, Sindhu may not break much sweat in topping her group but the problems will start for her in the first knockout round, which is the Round of 16.

India’s ace shuttler and Rio Olympics silver-medallist – PV Sindhu has been handed an easy draw for the Tokyo Olympics beginning July 23. Along with Sindhu, men’s singles player – B Sai Praneeth has also been given a relatively easy draw as Badminton World Federation announced draws on Thursday. However, Sindhu, who will be eyeing her second successive medal at the quadrennial event, is likely to face tricky opponents in the knockout stages of the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

While Sindhu has been seeded sixth and drawn in Group J of women’s singles, Praneeth was seeded 13th in Group D of men’s singles competition. Meanwhile, the World no 10 men’s doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy will be competing in Group A.

Sindhu will face Hong Kong’s world number 34 Cheung Ngan Yi and Israel’s Ksenia Polikarpova, ranked 58th, in the league stages, while Praneeth will have to go past world no 29 Mark Caljouw of Netherlands and Isreal’s Misha Zilberman, ranked 47.

Chirag and Satwiksairaj, however, were handed a tough draw which was announced by BWF.

The Indian duo will have to compete against top seed Indonesian pair of Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon, Chinese Taipei’s world no 3 Lee yang and Wang Chi Lin and England duo of Ben Lane and Sean Vendy, ranked 18th.

In women’s singles, the 26-year-old Indian may not break much sweat in topping her group but the problems will start for her in the first knockout round, which is the Round of 16.

If things go as per seeding, she is likely to face Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt, who was ranked 11th in the world a couple of years ago, in the pre-quarterfinals. Mia had sent Sindhu packing from the Thailand Open, beating her 21-16, 24-26, 13-21 in the opening round in January this year.

If Sindhu gets past the dangerous Dane, she may run into former world number one Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the quarter-finals.

Things will be tricky for Sai Praneeth too, as he has been drawn in Group D and slated to face Hong Kong’s Ng Ka Long Angus in Round of 16 and, if successful, will meet top seed and home favourite Kento Momota in the quarters.

In the singles competition, the top player from each group will qualify for the knock-out stages.