Top seeds Tasnim Mir, Ayan Rashid eye podium finish at Alpes Junior International badminton series in France

Tasnim Mir and Ayan Rashid have been given top seedings in the Alpes Junior International Series. The three-day Under-19 international tournament is slated to begin in Voiron, France on Friday, September 17.

The event will be organized by the Federation Francaise de Badminton under the auspices of the Badminton World Federation.

Tasnim Mir got the top billing in Under-19 women’s singles as well as the mixed doubles, along with fellow Indian Ayan Rashid.

The Guwahati teenager will be the top seed in the men’s singles. Both Tasnim and Ayan train together at the Assam Badminton Association Academy in Guwahati.

Accompanied by Assam Badminton Academy coach Saurav Das, the duo reached France on Wednesday and had a practice session at the venue.

16-year-old Tasnim has a bye in the first round and will clash with France’s Louane Lacour in the second. The teenage sensation is likely to face fourth seed Malya Hoareau in the semi-finals.

Switzerland’s Adina Panza is in the bottom half of the 32-player draw and might face junior world No. 4 Tasnim in the final if both players live up to their seedings.

Bulgarian Open champion Tasnim hopes to continue her top form

Gujarat teenager Tasnim emerged as champion in the Bulgarian Junior Open International Series in Pazardzhik, Bulgaria on August 8. In a one-sided Under-19 girls singles final, she thrashed second seed Mariia Golubeva of Russia 21-10, 21-12.

Assam teenager Ayan Rashid (R) with coach Saurav Das.

Tasnim will be eager to continue her top form and dominate the tournament in France. She is a favorite to win the women’s singles if she plays to her potential.

Three Indian boys in the U-19 singles

There are three Indian players in the men’s singles. Ayan has a bye in the first round and will play France’s Theo Phan in the second. He could face eighth seed Mathis Chanthakesone of Switzerland in the quarter-finals.

Saneeth Dayanand Shimoga also had a bye in the first round. He will take on either Rayane Mouri of France or Switzerland’s Yoan Gamper, following their first-round clash.

If Saneeth clears his first three rounds, the Karnataka youngster is likely to face second seed Luca Zhou of Italy in the semi-finals.

Karnataka youngster Saneeth Dayanand (L) is capable of causing an upset in the men's singles.

Naren Shankar Iyer will meet France’s Ethan Bissay in the first round on Friday.

Ayan Rashid and Tasnim Mir had a bye in the first round in the mixed doubles. The duo are ranked 11 in the world in the U-19 mixed doubles.

The top-seeded pairing will first square off against winners Anthony Gourdon and Louane Lacour (France), and Nicolas Franconville and Vera Appenzeller (Switzerland) in the second round.

Ayan and Tasnim are likely to meet fourth seed Natan Begga and Tanina Mammeri of France in the semis. Local pair Aymeric Tores and Alison Drouard are the second seeds.