The Malaysia Masters Badminton Tournament 2024 is set to begin tomorrow, and Indian shuttlers are gearing up for a challenging competition.
Here’s a comprehensive look at the draws and the paths for all Indian players.
Men’s Singles
Ayush Shetty faces a tough final round qualification match against Brazil’s Ygor Coelho. This will be a test of his skills and endurance early in the tournament.
Mithun Manjunath has a challenging start against Jason Gunawan who took the first game against Kodai Naraoka in the R16 last week. If he progresses, he could face Alwi Farhan or Mads Christophersen, adding to his difficult path.
Satish Kumar seems to have a relatively easier route and is expected to advance, but he could meet Sankar Muthusamy being in the same quarter of the qualification rounds, which will be a crucial encounter.
Kiran George has a particularly tough draw in the main event. He potentially faces Lee Zii Jia in the second round and then could meet Anders Antonsen in the quarterfinals, setting up formidable challenges early on.
Top players Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth, and upcoming talents Priyanshu Rajawat and Sameer Verma have withdrawn from the tournament, which significantly affects India’s prospects in the men’s singles but also presents a huge opportunity to other budding shuttlers in this category.
Women’s Singles
Both Tanya Hemanth and Unnati Hooda have winnable qualification matches if they play to their potential. Their performance in the qualifiers will be crucial for India’s increased representation in the main draw.
PV Sindhu appears to have an easier draw compared to her compatriots. She potentially faces top seed Han Yue in the quarterfinals, against whom she enjoys a favourable H2H record. However, a tricky semifinal against Ratchanok Intanon could be on the cards.
Ashmita Chaliha starts comtably against a qualifier but may face Beiwen Zhang in the subsequent round, which will be a stern test.
Malvika Bansod and Aakarshi Kashyap face tough first-round matches against Pornpicha Choeikeewong and Wang Zhi Yi, respectively. These matches are challenging on paper, and both players will need to be at their best to advance.
Men’s Doubles
Krishna Prasad Garaga/Vishnuvardhan Goud Panjala start against a qualifier and, if successful, will face He Jiting and Ren Xiangyu. Should they advance past this, a potentially easier match awaits in the quarterfinals.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty not participating and Dhruv/Arjun withdrawing, affects India’s top representation in men’s doubles whilst also giving the lone representatives the chance to shine.
Women’s Doubles
In this category where India have maximum representation in the main draw; Treesa Jolly/Gayatri Pullela, Palak Arora/Unnati Hooda, and Simran Singhi/Ritika Thaker all start with matches against Taiwanese pairs. However, Palak/Unnati face top seeds Iwanaga/Nakanishi in the next round, while the Panda sisters could face compatriots Jolly/Pullela who are in the same quarter.
Mixed Doubles
Sumeeth/Sikki Reddy face a qualifier first and then a potential showdown against top-seed Malaysians, while Satish Kumar/Aadya Variyath face the 6th seed Indonesians in the first round and potentially 3rd seed Indonesians and recent Indian nemesis Rivaldy/Mentari in the quarterfinals.
The Reddy couple and other Indian pairs face strong competition early in the mixed doubles category. Their path includes potential matches against seeded pairs, which will require top performances to advance.
Conclusion
The Malaysia Masters 2024 presents a mix of opportunities and challenges for Indian shuttlers. With a blend of promising young talents and seasoned players, India’s performance will be closely watched. The withdrawals of key players have reshaped the expectations, but the remaining squad is poised to make a significant impact. Fans will hope for deep runs and potential upsets as the tournament progresses.
Written By Mohit