Star Indian badminton players PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy will be looking to bounce back when they headline India’s challenge at the Malaysia Masters Super 500 tournament, starting Tuesday at Kuala Lumpur’s Axiata Arena. With a prize pool of USD 475,000, the tournament presents a chance for the duo to regain lost form and confidence.
PV Sindhu and Prannoy Aim to Regroup
Both PV Sindhu and Prannoy have had a tough run recently. Their last outing — the Sudirman Cup — ended in early defeats against Indonesia and Denmark. However, after a two-week break, they’ll now be eager to return stronger.
PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist and current world number 16, opens her campaign against Japan’s Natsuki Nidaira, ranked 20th.
HS Prannoy, who has slipped to world number 35, faces a challenging opener against fifth seed Kenta Nishimoto of Japan.
Rising Indian Stars Ready for Action
India’s young talents will also be in focus as they compete across categories.
In women’s singles, Malvika Bansod, runner-up at the 2024 Hylo Open, takes on Chiu Pin-Chian of Chinese Taipei. Unnati Hooda, a semifinalist at the Taipei Open, faces compatriot Lin Hsiang Ti. Aakarshi Kashyap has drawn eighth seed Putri Kusuma Wardani of Indonesia.
In men’s singles, Sathish Karunakaran, winner of the 2023 Odisha Masters and 2024 Guwahati Masters, plays top seed Anders Antonsen of Denmark. Ayush Shetty, bronze medallist at the World Junior Championships and a Taipei Open semifinalist, meets Canada’s Brian Yang. Priyanshu Rajawat will face Singapore’s Jia Heng Jason Teh.
Mixed Doubles Contenders
In mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto (world no. 19) begin against a qualifier. Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde will take on the fourth-seeded Chinese pair Guo Xin Wa and Chen Fang Hui. Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh meet top seeds Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin. Sathish Karunakaran will also team up with Aadya Variyath to face Roy King Yap and Valeree Siow of Malaysia.
Doubles Teams in the Spotlight
In men’s doubles, the Indian pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi will be in action.
In women’s doubles, India will be represented by Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi, Vaishnavi Khadkekar and Alisha Khan, as well as Prerana Alvekar and Mrunmayee Deshpande.
Qualifiers Eyeing Main Draw
Several Indian players will aim to secure a spot in the main draw through the qualifying rounds. In men’s singles, Kidambi Srikanth, S Sankar Muthusamy, and Tharun Mannepalli are in contention. Anmol Kharb and Tasnim Mir will try their luck in the women’s singles qualifiers.
Other Indians in action in the qualifying rounds include Mohit Jaglan and Lakshita Jaglan, along with the mixed doubles pair of Shivam Sharma and Poorvisha S Ram.
With both seasoned stars and promising youngsters in the mix, Indian fans will be watching closely, hoping for a strong performance at the Malaysia Masters.
