No Lakshya Sen, PV Sindhu at Korea Open after Hylo Open triumph; Prannoy, Tanvi lead India’s challenge

Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu NEW DELHI: Fresh from a memorable double triumph at the Hylo Open, Indian badminton stars Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu will miss the Korea Open, leaving it to veteran HS Prannoy and up-and-comer Tanvi Sharma to lead India’s challenge in the $500,000 Super 500 starting in Yeosu on Tuesday.Lakshya, who ended his year-long title drought with a commanding victory over Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie in the men’s singles final in Germany on Sunday, pulled out of the Korea Open despite being scheduled to face China’s Dong Tian Yao in the opening round.Sindhu, who also clinched the Hylo Open women’s crown with a straight-sets victory over Denmark’s Line Højmark Kjærsfeldt, has opted to skip the Korea Open and the subsequent Japan Masters as she wants to take a break from her title campaign.The absence of both the singles champions is a setback for India’s campaign but also provides an opportunity for other players to make their mark on the international circuit.

Prannoy, Tanvi lead the singles challenge

With Lakshya out, former world number one Prannoy will shoulder much of the responsibility in the men’s singles. The 33-year-old, a bronze medalist at the 2023 World Championships, will open his campaign against South Korea’s Yoo Tae Bin.Prannoy will be keen to make a name for himself in the competitive men’s singles draw with top seed Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei, third seed Kodai Naraoka of Japan and Canada’s Victor Lai.In the women’s singles, the focus will be on Tanvi Sharma, who emerged as one of India’s promising young players after winning the Taipei Open earlier this year. He begins his campaign against Japan’s Manami Suizu.Malvika Bansod faces a tough task against fourth seed Sim Yu Jin of South Korea in the opening round, while Anmol Kharb will look to build on her impressive semi-final run at the Hylo Open when she takes on Canada’s Rachel Chan.The performance of a 19-year-old player in Germany, where Sindhu reached the last four before losing, will give her confidence going into the Korean tournament.

India also has doubles entries

India will also be represented in the doubles. Sonali Singh and Ritika Thaker will compete in the women’s doubles, against Australia’s Laudya Chelsea Griselda and Nozomi Shimizu.In the mixed doubles, Dhruv Rawat and K. Maneesha will face Chinese seventh seeds Zhu Yi Jun and Li Qian.With two of India’s biggest singles names sitting back from their titles in Germany, the Korea Open presents an opportunity for Prannoy, Tanvi and other Indian challengers to accelerate and sustain the country’s momentum on the BWF World Tour.