New Delhi, June 2 (IANS) Former champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will headline India’s challenge at the prestigious Indonesia Open Super 1000 tournament starting Tuesday in Jakarta. With a prize pool of USD 1.45 million and crucial ranking points on offer, the event is set to play a key role in India’s Olympic preparations.

After an impressive semifinal run at the Singapore Open last week, the world No. 27 Indian duo returns to the Istora Senayan — a venue they conquered in 2023 — looking to recreate the magic. Having overcome fitness hurdles, Satwik and Chirag appear to be finding rhythm again and will begin their campaign against home favourites Leo Rolly Carnando and Bagas Maulana.

A victory could see them square off against their long-time nemesis — Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, who have a commanding head-to-head record and ended their campaign in Singapore last week.

Despite a drop in rankings due to a spell on the sidelines — Satwik had been dealing with health issues, and Chirag with a back injury — the pair’s tactical brilliance shone through in Singapore, notably when they dismantled the top-seeded Malaysian pair of Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin.

In women’s singles, P.V. Sindhu returns to action with the intent to rebuild. The two-time Olympic medallist has endured a tough 2024 so far, hampered by a hamstring injury that forced her to skip the Badminton Asia Team Championships. Her comeback trail has included early exits and defeats to lower-ranked opponents, but there were signs of encouragement last week when she pushed Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei to the brink.

With new Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama in her corner, Sindhu is looking to regain her lost momentum. She faces a stiff opening challenge in Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara — a rival with whom she has shared several epic battles over the years. Their upcoming clash promises another chapter in their storied rivalry. A win could pit Sindhu against Thailand’s crafty Pornpawee Chochuwong in the second round.

Other Indian women’s singles players in the fray include Anupama Upadhyaya, who takes on Korea’s Kim Ga Eun, Rakshitha Sree Ramraj facing Supanida Katethong, and Malvika Bansod locking horns with Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani.

In men’s singles, H.S. Prannoy — a bronze medallist at the 2023 World Championships — will hope to find a rhythm when he takes on Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan. Lakshya Sen, returning from a back injury, has been handed a tough opener against current world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi of China. Lakshya has struggled to find consistency since his run to the Paris Olympics semifinals, and this match could define his comeback curve.

Kiran George, another promising talent from the PPBA academy, is set for a challenging outing against former world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore.

In women’s doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand will aim to build confidence against Japan’s experienced pair of Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto. Gayatri’s return to full fitness remains key for the Indian pair’s aspirations ahead of Paris.

India also has a sizeable presence in mixed doubles, with four pairs taking the court: Dhruv Kapila/Tanisha Crasto, Rohan Kapoor/Ruthvika Shivani, Sathish Karunakaran/Aadya Variyath, and Ashith Surya/Amrutha Pramuthesh.

–IANS

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