New Delhi: Indian sports aficionados are pinning their hopes of PV Sindhu winning a medal at the Tokyo Olympics. However, it looks unlikely this time around as Sindhu in the recent past has not been able to stamp her class in the various tournaments she is played in. However, Sindhu herself is still optimistic about winning a medal and said Friday that she has got a favourable draw. However, she insisted that she has to be on top of her game since no match will be easy at the Olympic level.
Reigning World Champion and Rio Games silver medallist, Sindhu has been drawn with Hong Kong’s Cheung Ngan Yi (ranked 34th) and Israel’s Ksenia Polikarpova (ranked 58th) in Group J of the women’s singles event.
“It’s a good draw in the group stage. The Hong Kong girl plays well and it’s going to be a good match,” Sindhu, who is currently ranked seventh in the world, said in a release issued by Badminton Association of India (BAI).
“Everybody is going to be in top form, I hope I do well. Every match is important so I will take match by match. This is Olympics and it is not going to be easy, each point is very important,” said the sixth seed.
Sindhu has an all-win record against her group stage opponents Ngan Yi and Polikarpova in the five and two encounters played so far against them respectively. However, if Sindhu advances to the quarterfinals she is likely to face former World No. 1 Akane Yamaguchi. The Indian shuttler has lost to her on more than one occasion.
In men’s singles, World No 15 B Sai Praneeth has been placed in Group D alongside World No 29 Mark Caljouw of the Netherlands and World No 47 Israeli shuttler Misha Zilberman.
“It’s a mixed draw, not so tough and not so good. I have to be 100 per cent to win all matches and hopefully it will be a good outcome for me,” World Championships bronze medallist Praneeth said. If Praneeth advances to the quarters he is likely to face top seed and home favourite Kento Momota, a player he hasn’t been able to beat in his career.