Indonesia Masters 2018: Tough path for Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu has it easier

All eyes will be on Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu as India’s top two shuttle queens begin their new season on the circuit at the Indonesia Masters 2018, scheduled to be held at Jakarta, Indonesia this week. With this year having a packed calendar, which includes the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games, this BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament will provide them a good opportunity to measure themselves against the world’s best.

It will also mark the first outing of Saina and Sindhu after Mulyo Handoyo’s much-speculated departure. The Indonesian, who is credited with the remarkable renaissance of Indian badminton in 2017, has been reported to be no longer the gaffer and it will be interesting to see how the top stars from the country fare.

However, an even bigger challenge for the players is the draw at the Indonesia Masters, especially for Saina Nehwal.

It has not been kind for the former World No. 1, who starts off her campaign against the seventh seeded Chen Yufei of China. The last time the two met at the 2017 Hong Kong Open, it didn’t go the Indian’s way and Yufei emerged the winner in three gruelling games.

Much to Saina’s dismay, the World No. 8 is coming to this tournament with some fine momentum. The Dubai World Superseries Finals semi-finalist picked up from where she left last year and made it to the quarter-finals of the Malaysia Masters last week. That must have boosted her confidence and she would be ready to tackle Saina, who will be playing on the circuit after two months.

Possible Saina vs Sindhu quarter-final looms

If Saina does indeed overcome this first hurdle, she will be on course for a blockbuster quarter-final showdown with the second seeded PV Sindhu. A Saina vs Sindhu contest is always a treat for any badminton aficionado and it would give the new season a sizzling start.

But first, the World No. 3 has to see off the 33rd ranked Indonesian Hanna Ramadini, who will have the local support. The two have never crossed swords before and that could make things even more intriguing.

With a qualifier assured to be Sindhu’s second round opponent, her path to the last-eight looks brighter than that of Saina’s.

The semi-final looks to be a hurdle too high. Fourth seeded Ratchanok Intanon should be waiting and can very much dash all Indian fans’ hopes. The Thai had an excellent start to the season last week when she triumphed at the Malaysia Masters, having accounted for the likes of Tai Tzu Ying and Akane Yamaguchi.

But Sindhu did get the better of the former world champion in their last meeting at the 2017 Hong Kong Open. If she can use her attacking shots to break down the Thai, then she does stand a chance.

In the final, World No. 1 Tai Tzu Ying will be eager to push aside the Malaysia Masters final setback and grab the first title of the season. Third seeded Carolina Marin, who squandered multiple match points in her loss to the Chinese Taipei ace, is another big threat for the two Indians.

Difficult draw for Indians in men’s singles

In the absence of Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy, the onus lies on the shoulders of World No. 30 Sameer Verma and the Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli Kashyap. The job is tougher for the Syed Modi International champion Verma, who has the top seeded Viktor Axelsen as his possible second round opponent, should he beat Kazumasa Sakai of Japan in the first round.

Kashyap starts off against the 46th ranked Wei Feng Chong and could face the 19th ranked Hans-Kristian Vittinghus in the next round.

Sixth seeded Chou Tien Chen looms for Kashyap in the quarter-finals, making it a difficult draw for Indians.

In men’s doubles, the top Indian pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty has the eighth seeds Takuto Inoue and Yuki Kaneko. National champions Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy take on the Chinese Taipei pair of Lu Ching Yao and Yang Po Han.

There is no Indian shuttler in the women’s doubles and the mixed doubles sections.