Sindhu targets Hylo Open title after French run

Fresh from finishing runner-up at the French Open, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu will look to continue her strong run when she leads the Indian challenge at the $500,000 Hylo Open Super 500 badminton tournament starting here on Tuesday.

Sindhu, a former world champion, won the Japan Open title in July before reaching the final in Paris, where she lost to world number 1 An Se-young of South Korea in three games.

The Indian will be keen to build on those performances as she takes on Turkey’s Neslihan Arin in the women’s singles opening round.

India’s seventh seed Lakshya Sen, the 2019 Hylo Open champion, will face Finland’s Joakim Oldorff, while eighth seed Ayush Shetty takes on Taiwan’s Su Li Yang. Lakshya will be looking to rediscover consistency after a difficult run on the international circuit this season, while Ayush, who finished runner-up at the Badminton Asia Championships earlier this year, made headlines at the World Championships in August by defeating defending champion and then world number 1 Shi Yuqi of China in the opening round.

However, he too couldn’t build on those results and made early exits in the subsequent events.

India’s HS Prannoy, a 2023 World Championships bronze medallist, faces a tough opening test against third seed and reigning world champion Alex Lanier of France. Kiran George will meet Malaysia’s Cheam June Wei, while Tharun Mannepalli takes on sixth seed Toma Junior Popov of France.

In the women’s singles, India’s Ashmita Chaliha will look to carry forward her impressive form after winning the Korea Masters title earlier this year and registering a notable victory over Japan’s three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi at the French Open last week.

She faces Bulgaria’s Kaloyana Nalbantova in the opening round.

Devika Sihag faces a formidable challenge against top seed Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand, while Aakarshi Kashyap takes on Ukraine’s Polina Buhrova.

Eighth seed Malvika Bansod will meet Denmark’s Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt, while sixth seed Unnati Hooda faces Tereza Svabikova of the Czech Republic. Unnati will be looking to build on her outing at the Asian Games in Japan, where she reached the women’s singles quarter-finals.

Isharani Baruah and Anmol Kharb will compete in the women’s singles qualifying rounds.