Sindhu Leads Indian Charge at Swiss Open 2024

Lakshya Sen Aims for Third Straight Semifinal as Young Guns Join the Fray

New Delhi, March 19: Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu will spearhead the Indian challenge at the BWF Super 300 Swiss Open 2024 badminton tournament, starting today at the St. Jakobshalle Arena in Basel, Switzerland.

Sindhu, seeded fourth in women's singles, will be looking to bounce back from recent losses at the All England Open and French Open. The 28-year-old Indian will begin her campaign against Yvonne Li of Germany, having previously defeated Li in the first round of the All England Open. Akarshi Kashyap joins Sindhu in the main draw, while Malvika Bansod will battle her way through the qualifiers.

In men's singles, world No. 18 Lakshya Sen will be determined to extend his impressive run of consecutive semi-final finishes at the French Open and All England Open. Sen will open his Swiss Open campaign against Malaysian opponent Leong Jun Hao, holding a winning record against him. Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth and rising stars Priyanshu Rajawat and Kiran George will also feature in the main draw, with HS Prannoy opting out.

The absence of last year's winners Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty leaves a void in men's doubles. However, the women's doubles contingent boasts a strong presence with Tanisha Castro and Ashwini Ponnappa (seeded sixth) leading the charge. Tressa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand are also poised for a successful tournament.

A strong group of young talents will vie for glory in the qualifiers, including Sameer Verma, Satish Kumar Karunakaran, Simran Singhi, and Reddy B. Sumeeth.

The Indian team's comprehensive display promises an exciting week of badminton at the Swiss Open 2024.