Much has changed for K. Srikanth since the last edition of the India Open. He has climbed 21 rungs in the world ranking to be fourth following a string of impressive results in the last 12 months.
Clearly, Srikanth’s sensational victory over Lin Dan to win the China Open in last November provides the biggest recall value.
Riding on the Swiss Open success earlier this month, Srikanth is understandably upbeat. The second seed opens his India Open campaign on Wednesday against world No. 19 Thailand’s Tonongsak Saensomboonsuk whom he beat in the last Hong Kong Open in two close games.
Should Srikanth get past the first hurdle, he faces the winner of the Marc Zwiebler-Kento Momota match. The Japanese beat Srikanth in the All England Championships earlier this month to repeat the victory of the last edition. Though Srikanth defeated Momota twice late last year, their expected clash within a week could test the Indian’s preparedness.
Watching Srikanth’s ascendency, a fit-again P. Kashyap is keen to get back the tag of being the best in the country by winning the National Open on Sunday. Though he beat Srikanth to win the Grand Prix Gold title in Lucknow in November, Kashyap aims to make up for the time lost due to a nagging shoulder injury.
“During the past year, Srikanth has done well but I want my place back as India’s best (male player). It matters to me. Nothing less than a place in Sunday’s final is going to make me happy this week,” said the unseeded Kashyap drawn to play fourth seed Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei in the second round.
Among the women, Saina Nehwal will be looking to go beyond the quarterfinals here for the first time. On her way to the probable title-clash, Saina may well encounter eighth seed Pai Yu Po (Chinese Taipei) before facing either fourth seed Liu Xin (China) or seventh seed Yip Piu Yin (Hong Kong).
From the bottom-half, world champion Carolina Marin stares at a tougher path with a possible face-off with the winner of the clash between former world champion Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand) and Minatsu Mitani (Japan), seeded three and seven.
In women’s doubles, where G. Jwala and Ashwini Ponappa will be expected to make an impression, four leading pairs from the world’s top five are in the fray. In men’s doubles and mixed doubles, four pairs from the top-10 ranked combinations will be around.
