Ritika Thaker-Simran Singhi get top billing in Bahrain International Series badminton tournament

Women’s doubles pair Ritika Thaker and Simran Singhi have been given top seedings in the Bahrain International Series, which will get underway on Wednesday.

The five-day International Series tournament will be organized by the Badminton Asia Confederation under the auspices of Badminton World Federation.

After a gap of two years, the annual tournament will be held in Manama, Bahrain from November 17 to 21.

World No. 111 Ritika Thaker (Nagpur) and Simran Singhi (Mumbai) are the reigning Under-19 junior girls’ doubles champions. They will face one of the qualifiers in the women's doubles first round.

20-year-olds Ritika and Simran have dominated the national junior circuit and also represented the junior Indian squad before. The pandemic halted their progress but the talented duo are now raring to go in the Bahrain tournament.

Ritika will also play in the mixed doubles with her new partner Navneeth Bokka, who hails from Telangana. They will have to make the main draw through the qualifying rounds.

Ritika Thaker is happy to compete in her second tournament after the pandemic. The Nagpur shuttler is optimistic about her success in Bahrain after their good stint at the Hyderabad-based Suchitra Badminton Academy.

“This is the second tournament after the long Covid-19 break. I am happy to go to this tournament and will give my best. I have been practicing with my partner Simran Singhi for the last couple of weeks at the Suchitra Academy in Hyderabad,” said Ritika.

In Nagpur, Ritika trains under Ajay Dayal and Robin Simon. A couple of years ago, Ritika and Simran were ranked in the top-100 in the world.

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Four Indian shuttlers get seedings in the men’s singles

As many as four Indian players, including Kartikey Gulshan Kumar, C Rahul Yadav, Harsheel Dani and Kevin Arokia Walter got seedings in the men’s singles.

Sai Uttejitha Rao Chukka got the third seeding, while Ira Sharma received fourth in the women's singles.

New pair Utkarsh Arora and Akshan Shetty will be the fourth seeds in the men’s doubles.

Seeded Indian players

Men’s singles

4. Kartikey Gulshan Kumar

5. C Rahul Yadav

6. Harsheel Dani

7. Kevin Arokia Walter

Women’s singles

3. Sai Uttejitha Rao Chukka

4. Ira Sharma

Men’s doubles

4. Utkarsh Arora-Akshan Shetty

Women’s doubles

1. Simran Singhi-Ritika Thaker

4. Thanushree Ramesh-Mehreen Riza

Mixed doubles

4. Rohan Kapoor-Sanjana Santosh