Sindhu has her task cut out in World Tour Finals

Guangzhou, December 11: Indian badminton ace PV Sindhu has been handed a tough draw in women's singles but debutant Sameer Verma will fancy his chances of making it to the men's singles knockout stage at the BWF World Tour Finals starting on Wednesday.

Sindhu, who had finished runner-up at the last edition in Dubai, has been clubbed with defending champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan, World No. 1 Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei and United States' Beiwen Zhang in Group A.

The Rio Games silver medallist, who will be making her third successive appearance at the tournament, has a 9-4 head-to-head record against Yamaguchi but she has lost four times to the Japanese in five meetings this season.

. #PVSindhu rocks the @bwfmedia World Tour Final Welcome Party!💃👏🤘

The Badminton ace is adjudged the #BestDressed (female) player. 🇨🇳's #ShiYuqi is awarded the Mr Best Dressed! Time to rock the court now. #Sindhu #IndiaontheRise #WorldTourFinals #badminton #PBL4 pic.twitter.com/o2kKjLUOEa

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) December 10, 2018

The 23-year-old from Hyderabad also has found the going tough against Asian Games Champion Tai Tzu Ying, who has beaten her in all their last six encounters. The last time Sindhu defeated Tzu Ying was at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Against Zhang, Sindhu has a 3-3 head-to-head record but the Indian has lost twice in the last three meetings, which includes a final defeat at the India Open World Tour Super 500 tournament in New Delhi.

Sameer, who defended his title at the Syed Modi International last month to qualify for the $1,500,000 event at the last moment, has been put alongside Japanese World No. 1 Kento Momota, Indonesia's Tommy Sugiarto and Thailand's Kantaphon Wangcharoen.

The top two players from each group will qualify for the semifinals, after which a knockout draw will be conducted.

Only eight top players compete in the prestigious season-ending event.

Sameer, who is the second Indian men's player after Kidambi Srikanth to qualify for the tournament, will have a less difficult path to the semifinals. He has a 1-1 head-to-head record against both Sugiarto and Wangcharoen.

Sameer's main worry will be Momota, whom he has defeated en route to his Swiss Open title but the Japanese has emerged as a indomitable force ever since.

Saina Nehwal has represented India at the prestigious tournament - earlier known as Super Series Final - seven times, reaching the finals at the 2011 edition.

(With PTI inputs)