Former world number-1 Kidambi Srikanth has pulled out of the German Open Super 300 badminton event, beginning with the qualifiers right here on Tuesday.
While Srikkanth can be lacking in motion, final version’s finalist, Lakshya Sen can be hoping to go the space this time as he spearheads the Indian problem.
Sen and not too long ago topped nationwide champion Mithun Manjunath would be the prime Indian gamers.
Sen, the present Commonwealth Games gold medallist, had crushed world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen within the semi-finals however had misplaced the ultimate within the earlier version.
This time the 21-year-old from Almora, seeded sixth, will tackle France’s Christo Popov within the opening spherical and is predicted to tackle prime seed Malaysian Li Zi Jia within the quarters if he can cross the preliminary spherical.
“I might face Li Zi Jia in the quarter-finals so looking forward to that. I’ve done everything in my hand this week to be in the best shape possible so hopefully good momentum ahead of the All England,” Sen stated.
Manjunath can be brimming with confidence after his maiden nationwide title and can look to keep up his good momentum when he opens towards former world champion Loh Kean Yew.
Malavika Bansod and Saina Nehwal are additionally within the ladies’s singles draw, whereas the combined doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and B Sumeeth Reddy, who performed on the 2022 Commonwealth Games, are additionally within the fray.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
