Denmark Open | Kidambi Srikanth and Saina Nehwal get difficult draws

10/16/2018

Saina Nehwal will start her campaign against Hong Kong’s Cheung Ngan Yi while unseeded Kidambi Srikanth would kick-off against Denmark's Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghis. India's biggest hope PV Sindhu would take on American-Chinese Beiwen Zhang as Sameer Verma starts against Shi Yuqi.

Despite being a tricky draw, Sindhu would more than expected to go past Beiwen Zhang in the opening round and has a good chance of facing world champion Carolina Marin in the quarter-finals. Saina, on the other hand, would be the favourite to beat Cheung Ngan Ni and could be up against Japan's Akane Yamaguchi in the next round. In the quarters, former world champion Nozomi Okuhara would also be a huge challenge for Saina.

An underperforming Srikanth would take on local favourite Vittinghus in the opening round and if successful, could face the two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan in the pre-quarterfinals. However, he won't have respite even if he manages to overcome them as he will have either Jonatan Christie, Shi Yuqi, Wong Wong Ki Vincent, or compatriot Sameer Verma waiting in the quarters. With HS Prannoy pulling out owing to health issues, Srikanth would be the biggest hope for India in the men's singles category.

In men’s doubles, Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy has difficult openings against world no 6 pair pair Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen. Also, out of India’s best pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, Satwik would be performing with Ashwini Ponnappa in the mixed doubles where they would be facing Korean duo of Seo Seung Jae Chae Yujung in the opening round.

Ashwini would also be playing women's doubles with Sikki Reddy where they would be competing with American duo of Ariel Lee and Sydney Lee.