Srikanth-Loh Kean Yew face-off on cards; Sindhu, Sen get easy draws at India Open

New Delhi: Comeback man Kidambi Srikanth might clash with Singapore's Loh Kean Yew in a rematch of their World Championships final after being drawn in the same half, while PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen received easy draws in the Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2022 to be held from January 11 to 16.

Top seed Srikanth, who regained his place in world's top-10, will open his campaign against compatriot Siril Verma and is likely to get another chance to avenge his loss against World champion Loh Kean Yew as they are drawn to clash in the semifinals.

Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, seeded top, will hope to lay claim on her first title of the new year when she begins her campaign against compatriot Sri Krishna Priya Kudaravalli.

The26-year-old could face Russian fifth seed Evgeniya Kosetskaya in the last-8 stage.

Fans would be hoping for the marquee all-India summit clash between Sindhu and the former World No. 1 Saina Nehwal, who has also received a relatively tough draw.

The London Olympics bronze medallist and fourth seed Nehwal, who endured a tough year plagued with multiple injuries, is likely to square off against seventh seed Iris Wang of USA in the quarter-finals and second seed Busanan Ongbamrungphan in the semi-finals.

Organised by the Badminton Association of India (BAI), the USD 400,000 Super 500 event will kickstart the 2022 BWF World Tour season.

In-form Sen, who claimed a maiden bronze at the World Championships, will start his campaign against Adham Elgamal of Egypt and could face compatriot and World Championships quarter-finalist HS Prannoy in the

quarterfinals.