Tokyo Olympics: Sindhu, Praneeth get easy draws; tough task for Chirag-Satwik

India’s biggest medal hope at the Tokyo Olympics from the sport of badminton, PV Sindhu, has been handed a relatively easy draw at the upcoming sporting extravaganza. Sindhu, who was the silver medallist in at the Rio Olympics in 2016, will take on Hong Kong’s world number 34 Cheung Ngan Yi and Israel’s Ksenia Polikarpova, ranked 58th, in the league stages.

Sindhu, seeded sixth, is placed in Group J of women’s singles. She is considered one of the favourites for the gold medal in the absence of reigning Olympic champion Carolina Marin, who is sidelined due to a knee injury.

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In the men’s singles event India’s B Sai Praneeth too will face unfancied opponents in the men’s singles event. Praneeth, seeded 13th, will be up against world no 29 Mark Caljouw of Netherlands and Isreal’s Misha Zilberman, ranked 47.

Chirag and Satwiksairaj, however, were handed a tough draw which was announced by BWF on Thursday.

The Indian duo will have to compete against top seed Indonesian pair of Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon, Chinese Taipei’s world no 3 Lee yang and Wang Chi Lin and England duo of Ben Lane and Sean Vendy, ranked 18th.

In the singles competition, the top player from each group will qualify for the knock-out stages.

(With PTI inputs)