Saina, Kashyap to spearhead Indian challenge in Indonesian Open

Parupalli Kashyap and Saina Nehwal

Indian badminton leaped a new high at the last week’s SGC Thailand Open with young turk K Srikanth capping off a memorable performance, winning the men’s singles crown toppling world number seven Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand in the final.

Of course, Srikanth’s glory-scripting effort brought smiles on the faces of the Indian badminton fans and, to some extent, made up for star woman shuttler Saina Nehwal’s surprising quarterfinal exit.

Now, the action shifts to the Djaram Indonesian Open where the main draw matches commence on Tuesday. The Indian challenge would be spearheaded by badminton icon Saina Nehwal, who would be looking to retain the crown she won last year and break her singles title drought in 2013.

Saina will open her campaign against world number 14 Lindaweni Fanetri of Indonesia.

She will be the lone Indian representative in the women’s singles category.

PV Sindhu decided to give the tournament a miss, while Arundhati Pantawane crashed out in the first round of the qualifiers on Monday.

The country’s top-ranked men’s singles player Parupalli Kashyap will be seen in action after a long time in the Indonesian Open.

The world number ten meets Japan’s world number 19 Sho Sasaki of Japan.

Kashyap’s best performance this year has been a quarterfinal finish in the All England Championship.

Sourabh Varma – ranked 37^th in the world – will locks horns with Denmark’s world number 15 Hans-Kristian Vittinghus in the opening round.

Two others Indians in the main draw – 25^th ranked RMV Gurusaidutt and 28^th ranked Ajay Jayaram – are drawn to play qualifiers in their respective first round matches.

Meanwhile, K Srikanth withdrew from the Indonesian Open after cornering glory in the SGC Thailand Open.

HS Pranoy, who romped into the quarterfinals of the SGC Thailand Open, bowed out in the qualifiers of the Indonesian Open.

It may be pertinent to mention that the Indian shuttlers had a quiet 2013 save for an eye-catching showing in the Yonex Sunrise Indian Open held in New Delhi.

India’s Anand Pawar reached the men’s singles semifinals, while PV Sindhu entered the women’s singles semifinals.

Five Indians reached the men’s singles quarterfinals – Anand Pawar, Ajay Jayram, RMV Gurusaidutt, HS Pranoy and B Sai Praneeth.

Two Indians made it to the women’s singles quarterfinals – Arundhati Pantawane made the last-eight grade along with PV Sindhu.