Sindhu to open against Wang Shixian in French Open

10/20/2015

PV Sindhu looks to extend her sensational run at this week’s French Open following her maiden Superseries Premier final appearance at the Denmark Open. The Hyderabadi lost to Olympic champion Li Xuerui, but not before a giant-killing spree when she stunned World champion Carolina Marin, world number four Tai T Y and world number seven Wang Yihan.

Women’s world number one Saina Nehwal and men’s world number five Kidambi Srikanth will join forces with Sindhu in leading India’s challenge at the $275,000 Superseries event, starting with the qualifiers in Paris on Tuesday.

Twice World Championship bronze medallist, Sindhu, who was hampered by a foot injury in the early part of the season, will start her campaign against Chinese world number five Wang Shixian, against whom the Indian holds a four-two head-to-head record.

Nehwal, who lost in the second round at the Denmark Open, will open against reigning Commonwealth Games champion Michelle Li of Canada at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin.

Fifth seed Srikanth will face Tian Houwei of China, while compatriot HS Prannoy will meet China's twice Olympic champion and five-time World champion Lin Dan, seeded third in the tournament.

Eighth seed and Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli Kashyap, who went down to former world number one Lee Chong Wei at Odense, will open against a qualifier. In a late development, twice Dutch Open winner, Ajay Jayaram, was Promoted From Qualifiers, and the Mumbai shuttler will take on Denmark's Hans-Kristian Vittinghus.

Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa will open against Thailand's Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai in women’s doubles first round.

In Tuesday’s qualifiers, B Sai Praneeth will face Tzu Wei Wang of Chinese Taipei.

(Updated to incorporate Ajay Jayaram's PFQ)