Brief
Indian shuttlers aim to rebound at French Open after recent setbacks
PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen and other Indian shuttlers face tough opening matches as they try to recover form at the French Open in Paris.
By Felo News Desk · Published
India's badminton squad, headed by two‑time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, entered the French Open Super 750 in Paris on Tuesday seeking to reverse a string of recent disappointments, according to PTI via News18.
What happened
The tournament, worth USD 950,000, began with Sindhu drawn against South Korea’s top seed An Se Young in the women’s singles first round. Lakshya Sen, the sixth seed, opened against Japan’s Kodai Naraoka. In men’s doubles, the Indian pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will meet French brothers Christo and Toma Junior Popov. Women’s doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand face Taiwan’s Lin Chih‑Chun and Yang Chu Yun. Additional Indian entries include Tanvi Sharma vs. Isharani Baruah, Ashmita Chaliha vs. China’s Han Qian Xi, Unnati Hooda vs. Japan’s Riko Gunji, and Devika Sihag vs. Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani.
What the reports add
News18 notes that Sindhu suffered a first‑round loss to Germany’s Yvonne Li after a draw revision caused by multiple seeded withdrawals. Lakshya Sen, who recovered from a back issue to help India win a bronze in the Asian Games men’s team event, has seen his form dip since that performance. Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth, after a close match against world champion Alex Lanier, will face compatriot Ayush Shetty. The article also highlights Rankireddy/Shetty’s earlier titles in Singapore and China, and their early exit from the Asian Games, as a dampener to their confidence.
What was said
The PTI feed does not contain direct quotations, but it reports that the Indian players “would be desperate to overcome their recent struggles and make a mark” at the French Open.
How it came about
India’s recent badminton setbacks include Sindhu’s shock defeat to a lower‑ranked German at the Denmark Open and Sen’s back injury that lingered after the Asian Games. The French Open offers a chance for the shuttlers to regain momentum ahead of upcoming BWF events.
Key facts
- PV Sindhu will face South Korea's top seed An Se Young in the women's singles first round at the French Open. (news18.com)
- Lakshya Sen, seeded sixth, will play Japan's Kodai Naraoka in the men's singles opener. (news18.com)
- Rankireddy and Shetty, India's top men's doubles pair, will meet French brothers Christo and Toma Junior Popov. (news18.com)
- Sindhu lost a first‑round match to Germany's Yvonne Li after a draw revision at the Denmark Open. (news18.com)
- Lakshya Sen recovered from a back issue to help India win a bronze in the Asian Games men’s team event. (news18.com)
Sources
- [1] news18.com — originally reported as “Beleaguered Indian shuttlers look to bounce back at French Open”
