India’s top badminton players PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen have withdrawn from the Thailand Open Super 500 as the event’s draws were announced on Wednesday. Sindhu, who had earlier opted out of the Uber Cup, is taking a leave of absence to focus on her preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which are scheduled to take place in July-August.
Satwik- Satwik in Thailand Open
In Sindhu’s absence, the World No. 3 men’s doubles team of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Shetty will lead the Indian contingent at the Thailand Open. The top-seeded duo will kick off their campaign against Malaysia’s Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub and Ta Wee Kiong, who are ranked World No. 71.
The Indian pair might face a significant challenge in the semifinals, where China’s World No. 11 team of He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu, the Thomas Cup-winning heroes, are expected to be their opponents. Satwik and Chirag’s last World Tour appearance was at the All England Open, where they were defeated in the Round of 16. However, they have had a successful year, reaching three finals and winning the French Open.
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PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen officially qualify for Paris Olympics 2024
Meanwhile, the Indian badminton contingent for the upcoming Paris Olympics has been finalized with seven shuttlers qualifying across five categories. Leading the team is two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu. The qualification period closed on April 29th, with the Badminton World Federation (BWF) confirming the qualifiers based on the Olympic Games Qualification Rankings.
Sindhu, secured her spot in the Paris Olympics by finishing 12th in the women’s singles qualification race. Having earned a silver medal at Rio 2016 and a bronze at Tokyo 2020, Sindhu remains one of India’s most promising medal hopes in Paris.
In the men’s singles category, India will be represented by HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen, who are ranked ninth and 13th, respectively, in the qualification race. Both Prannoy and Sen have medaled at recent World Championships, demonstrating their skill on the international stage.
The men’s doubles team of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who made history by becoming the first Indian duo to achieve the World No. 1 ranking after winning the Asian Games gold last year, has also qualified. They head to Paris as one of India’s most formidable medal contenders.
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