China Masters Super 750 Badminton Tournament Kicks Off with Star Indian Players' Return to Action
Shenzhen, China - November 19, 2022
India's top-ranked men's doubles duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have made their highly-anticipated return to competitive badminton at the China Masters Super 750 tournament, which began here on Tuesday. The top-seeded team from India will face a tough challenge in their opening round against Chinese Taipei's Yang Po-Hsuan and Lee Jhe-Huei.
The comeback of the Indian pair, who were forced to miss several high-profile tournaments due to Rankireddy's shoulder injury after the Paris Olympics, has generated immense excitement among fans. This is Satwik and Chirag's first tournament since their disappointing campaign at the Paris Olympics, where they finished runner-up in the team event.
The return of both players has sparked hope for a better performance in this tournament, which they will aim to use as an opportunity to regain momentum after a lengthy recovery period. The absence of their coach, Mathias Boe, who departed in August, might pose some challenges for the duo but they are expected to give it their best shot.
Meanwhile, P V Sindhu and Lakshya Sen will face another tough test against strong opponents as they aim to overcome their recent struggles in this tournament. The two Indian players have been struggling to regain their form since the Paris Olympics, however, with consistent performances, hope can be rekindled for these shuttler.
Lakshya, who had a disappointing run at the Kumamoto Masters Japan last week, has faced off against seventh-seeded Malaysian Lee Zii Jia in his opening match. Meanwhile, P V Sindhu bounced back from her shock opening-round loss to Canada's Michelle Li in Finland but will face another tough opponent in Thai veteran Supanida Katethong.
The other Indian players competing in this tournament include Aakarshi Kashyap and Malvika Bansod, who have been looking promising on the badminton circuit. The India women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand will also be in action.
This year's BWF World Tour 2024 marks the third consecutive time that Shenzhen hosts a Super 750 tournament, which has seen some thrilling matches to keep players on their toes.
The China Masters super 750 badminton tournament continues with other Indian player’s participation from tomorrow.