Rejuvenated after a one and a half month break following the IBl, defending champion Saina Nehwal will now eye her maiden title of the season when she competes at the USD 400,000 Denmark Super Series Premier which begins with the qualifiers here on Monday.
“I am the defending champion in Denmark. It will be tough but I am ready for the challenge of defending the title,” Saina said.
“I have been in good form in the IBl. I will give my 100 per cent and I hope to do well in Denmark,” added the fourth seeded Indian, who will open her campaign against Bulgaria’s Stefani Stoeva, ranked 58 in World, on Wednesday.
Another Indian in women’s singles, World Championships bronze medallist P V Sindhu will face a difficult opponent in World No. 17 Eriko Hirose of Japan in the first round.
In men’s singles, World No. 14 Parupalli Kashyap, who is coming back from an ankle injury, will take on the World No. 16 Darren liew of Malaysia in his tournament opener.
In fact, Ajay Jayaram and RMV Gurusaidutt too will have an uphill task ahead. While, Japan Open quarterfinalist Ajay will be up against World No. 8 Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand, World No. 24 Gurusaidutt will meet World No.11 Hu Yun of Hong Kong in the first round.
In the qualifiers on Tuesday, four Indians will be in action, hoping to make the main draw.
World No. 32 K Srikanth will take on World No. 69 Christian lind Thompsen of Denmark, while HS Prannoy, having recovered from his ankle injury, will play Kento Momota of Japan in the first round.
World No. 43 Sourabh Verma will meet World No. 63 Zulfadli Zulkiffli of Malaysia, while Anand Pawar will face local player Quach Flemming in their bid to be one of the four players to qualify for the main draw.
In men’s doubles competition, World No. 55 Indian pair of Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy will fight it out with World No. 45 German combo of Michael Fuchs and Johannes Schoettler in the first round.