PV Sindhu returns from Injury at the Malaysia Open, all Indian Shuttlers Aim to Shine

By: WE Staff | Monday, 9 January 2023

After a 5 month long layoff because of her severe injuries, PV Sindhu is all set to play in the Malaysia Open along with prominent Indian shuttlers, HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen.

Ace shuttler Pusarla Venkata Sindhu is all set to showcase her talent in the Malaysia Open which is beginning from 10th January 2023. She returns after a five-month long layoff due to an injury. At the tournament Sindhu will face her most challenging test along with some prominent Indian shuttlers, including HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen who look to kick off the New Year successfully.

2022 was a great year for Indian shuttlers and in 2023 they are geared up to bring home more successful trophies from the Paris Olympics that will begin in May.

Indian shuttlers will compete in the $1,250,000 Super 100 competition against some of the top players which includes World No.1 Viktor Axelsen, Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia, Akane Yamugachi, and Tai Tzu Ying who have a great number of ranking points on the line.

Sindhu, who is a Double Olympic medallist will face off against former World Champion Carolina Marin opening match after recovering from an ankle injury. It will be intriguing to watch this match as both of the players give neck-to-neck competition. Marian won the last three matches against Indians at the Commonwealth Games in August.

The only seeded Indian player, World No. 10 Sen will have his first round of match against compatriot and World No. 8 Prannoy in the first round in a game of one-upmanship in the men's singles.

In Women's Singles, the most successful player including Saina Nehwal, Aakarshi Kashyap, and Malvika Bansod will also be a part of this tournament. Sania will compete against China's unseeded Han Yue, Aakarshi will play against Hsu Wen-chi of Chinese Taipei, and Malvika will be playing against Korea's second-seeded An Se-young.

In Women's doubles Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, who won bronze at the CWG, will face Yeung Nga Ting and Yeung Pui Lam respectively who belong to Hong Kong in the opening round. Ashwini Bhat and Shikha Gautam will face Supissara Paewsampran and Putita Supajirakul respectively who belong to Thailand.

Kidambi Srikanth who is a former World No. 1 will compete against Kenta Nishimoto of Japan, who is not seeded in his opening match. After a victory, Srikanth will probably face Jonathan Christie who is fifth-seeded, with defending champion Axelsen possibly in the same quarter.

In the men's doubles team, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy who is World No. 5, and Chirag Shetty who has won the CWG title, the French Open, and the Indian Open 2022, will face Choo Sol-Gyu and Kim Wan-ho of South Korea in the opening round.

If Satwik and Chirag who are the bronze medalists from the World Championships, successfully pass the first round, then they would play home favorites Aaron Chai and Soh Wooi Yok in the quarterfinals.

Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto of India will compete in mixed doubles against Robin Tabeling and Selena Piek of the Netherlands.