Thailand Open 2022: PV Sindhu vs Lauren Lam preview, head-to-head & prediction

India's poster girl for badminton PV Sindhu will be keen to brush off the Uber Cup disappointment with a good showing in the upcoming Thailand Open badminton tournament.

Seeded sixth in the Thailand Open, Sindhu will play her round-of-32 match against Lauren Lam of the United States of America.

The Thailand Open is returning to the circuit after a year's hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The reigning champion in the men's singles is Viktor Axelsen, while Carolina Marin is the defending champion in the women's singles category. However, the Spaniard will not be defending her crown this season.

Sindhu will come into this clash on the back of consecutive losses in the Uber Cup. After winning her first two matches against Canada's Michelle Li and USA's Jennie Gai in straight games, Sindhu lost to An Sae Young 15-21, 14-21 in the Uber Cup league stage.

Read: Improved men’s doubles performance help India achieve Thomas Cup glory, says Arun Vishnu

In the quarter-finals, the veteran badminton player lost to Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon as India lost the rubber 0-3.

Given the fighter Sindhu is, she will be keen to put a stop to her losing streak and get a win under her belt to go the distance in the Thailand Open.

PV Sindhu vs Lauren Lam head-to-head

Sindhu and Lauren Lam have faced each other twice, with the Indian emerging victorious on both occasions. The veteran Indian player and her American opponent first locked horns at the Syed Modi International Championships, where Sindhu beat Lam 21-16, 21-13.

Sindhu and Lam later played at the Korea Open where Sindhu got the better of Lam 21-15, 21-14.

PV Sindhu vs Lauren Lam prediction

Given that Sindhu barely had to break a sweat against the American teenager in the past, the Indian is the favorite to progress to the next round.

Prediction: PV Sindhu to win in straight games

When and where to watch PV Sindhu vs Lauren Lam

PV Sindhu and Lam will square off on Court 3 at the Impact Arena in Bangkok on Wednesday, May 18. The match will commence at around 2 PM IST.

The Thailand Open, a Super 500 series event, is not broadcast on any TV network during the initial rounds. However, fans can always tune into the official channel, BWF TV, to watch the matches. The social media accounts of the BWF and Badminton Association of India (BAI) will provide regular updates and scores.

However, from the quarter-finals stage, the Thailand Open will be broadcast live on the Sports-18 network. The Voot App will also provide live streams of the match.