Former world number one Kidambi Srikanth will return to badminton at the Macau Open, which begins on Tuesday. He is part of a 23-member Indian team that includes players like Malvika Bansod and Gayatri Gopichand. Notably, PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen will not compete in this tournament.
Srikanth, 31, has been sidelined from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) tour since injuring himself at the Singapore Open in May. He is entering the Macau Open as the sixth seed for this BWF Super 300 event.
In 2021, Srikanth earned a medal at the World Championships and reached the semifinals of the Swiss Open earlier this year. However, he struggled to advance beyond the pre-quarterfinals in nine other tournaments this season. Malvika Bansod, who recently made it to the quarterfinals of the China Open by defeating bronze medalist Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, will not be participating in the Macau Open.
India’s top hopes in women’s doubles lie with third seeds Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly. They reached the semifinals of the Singapore Open BWF Super 750 event in June but have not won a title this year. In mixed doubles, Commonwealth Games medalists N Sikki Reddy and B Sumeeth Reddy will lead India’s efforts.
The Macau Open will be without key Indian athletes preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympics, including two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen. The tournament concludes on Sunday, showcasing a strong Indian presence across various categories.
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