Sindhu, Saina primed for opening rounds

Saina Nehwal, Carolina Marin, PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth in New Delhi on Tuesday.

New Delhi, January 30: The top guns in the Yonex-Sunrise Dr. Akhilesh Das Gupta India Open 2018, a part of the HSBC BWF World Tour 500, got into combat mode on the eve of the tournament by expressing their title ambitions here on Tuesday.

Home favourites PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal said that they were banking on their past record and current form while Olympic champion Carolina Marin stated that she was keen on a sterling show to get ready for a challenging season ahead.

In the men's section, top-ranked Kidambi Srikanth was eager to put behind his lean patch and bounce back. All four will be in action on Wednesday (January 31) when the main draw gets underway at the Siri Fort Complex.

"I got injured in November and then I had to pull out of the China and Hong Kong Open. I then played in Dubai where things didn't go my way and then I got injured again during the PBL,” Srikanth said. “I was never going to play the Malaysia Masters but had to miss Indonesia. But there are still a number of big tournaments, starting with the India Open and I am just looking forward to them," he added during a interaction with the media.

Srikanth opens his campaign against Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu on Wednesday.

Sindhu, who won the women’s singles crown last season and is the top seed in the tournament, is viewing the India Open as a fresh challenge. "It's important to stay fit and give my best. Each round is going to be tough so I will be taking one match at a time. Yes, I won last year but it's a different year and I am just looking to give my best," the World Championship silver medallist said.

Sindhu takes on Denmark’s Natalia Rohde and, barring any surprises, her real challenge will come in the form of former world champion Ratchnok Intanon in the semifinals.

Saina, who is in the bottom half of the draw, will face another Dane, Sofie Dahl in the opening round. "The Indian Open is a good opportunity for me to get back to winning ways. It is a competitive field but I have a good record in the tournament so I'm hopeful of a good show," the fourth seed said.

Olympic champion Marin is chasing bigger goals this season. "I have played all big tournaments because I value these tournaments, and also, having turned out for three -- the Malaysian, the Indonesian and the Indian Open -- it also helps me prepare better for the All-England Championship," the Spanish star, who meets Thailand's Mattana Hemrachatanun in the first round, said.

Among the other Indians who will take to the courts on Wednesday, World No. 10 HS Prannoy will face qualifier Shreyansh Jaiswal in his opening match while Singapore Open champion B Sai Praneeth will face Rajiv Ouseph of England.

The annual $350,000 prize money tournament was first held in India in 2011. It has been renamed in honour of Dr Akhilesh Das Gupta, the late president of the Badminton Association of India, who played a stellar role in popularising the sport in the country.

Four Indians qualify for singles main round

Turkey International Junior Open champion Kartikeya Gulshan Kumar, Shreyansh Jaiswal, junior national champion Aakarshi Kashyap and Riya Mukherjee were among the four Indians who made it to the singles main draw after winning their qualifiers on Tuesday.

Jaiswal downed Abhishek Yelegar 21-10, 22-20, Gulshan Kumar overcame Bodhit Joshi 21-19, 15-21, 21-18 while Aakarshi upstaged Vrushali Gummadi 21-17, 18-21, 21-15 and Riya defeated Ira Sharma 21-11, 21-15.

Meanwhile 10 Indian doubles and mixed doubles made it to the main draw.

Key first round clashes on Wednesday

Men's singles:

3-Chou Tien Chen (Tai) v Rasmus Gemke (Den)

8-Sai Praneeth v Rajiv Ouseph (Eng)

Lee Cheuk Yiu (HK) v 2-Kidambi Srikanth (Ind)

5-Prannoy HS (Ind) v Shreyansh Jaiswal (Ind)

Sourabh Verma (Ind) v 4-Shi Yuqi (Chn)

Sameer Verma (Ind) v 7-Anders Antonsen (Den)

Women's singles

3-Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) v Rasika Raje (Ind)

1-PV Sindhu (Ind) v Natalia Koch Rohde (Den)