Indonesia Open | Kidambi Srikanth to face Kento Momota as Prannoy slated to play Lin Dan
Defending champion Kidambi Srikanth has been drawn against Japan’s Kento Momota in the opening round of this year’s World Tour Super 1000 badminton tournament in Indonesia. 25-year old HS Prannoy will face off against Chinese great Lin Dan in the first round of the tournament on Tuesday.
25-year old Kidambi Srikanth became the highest-ranked badminton player in April 2018 after winning a gold in the mixed team event, and a silver in the singles event which elevated him to the top spot in the BWF rankings. Srikanth was the winner at the Indonesian Open last year round where he beat Japan's Kazumasa Sakai 21–11, 21–19 in the finals.
The Indian youngster was drawn against Japanese shuttler Kento Momota in the opening round of this year’s tournament. However, the lad from Andhra Pradesh will have to be at his very best because he was comfortably beaten Momota in the semi-finals of the Malaysia Open last Saturday. Momota has previously defeated Srikanth six times in nine meetings, which included the last three.
The 23-year old Japanese player has been in great form since making a comeback to the circuit after serving a one-year ban on charges of illegal gambling. Momota’s run of 21 successive wins was broken by the legendary Lee Chong Wei in the final of the Malaysia Open on Sunday.
In other news, 25-year old Indian lad HS Prannoy was drawn against the legendary Lin Dan of China in his campaign opener, while Singapore Open champion B Sai Praneeth will take on Chinese Taipei’s Wang Tzu Wei for the second time in two weeks at the tournament which is scheduled to start tomorrow.
Amongst the women’s singles, Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu, who made it to the semi-finals in Malaysia will clash with Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong in the first round. CWG Gold medallist Saina Nehwal, who lost in the second round in Malaysia to world No 2 Akane Yamaguchi, takes on Indonesia’s Dinar Dyah Ayustine in her Indonesia opener.
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