Tokyo 2020: PV Sindhu may face Mia Blichfeldt in Round of 16; tough draw for Chirag-Satwik

Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu has been drawn in Group J of the women’s singles at the Tokyo Olympics. The badminton competition will begin on July 24.

PV Sindhu will be up against Hong Kong’s Cheung Ngan Yi and Ksenia Polikarpova of Israel in the group stages.

If she wins the group, PV Sindhu could potentially face Denmark’s 14th seed Mia Blichfeldt in the Round of 16.

In the men’s singles, B Sai Praneeth will play in Group D. In his debut Olympics, B Sai Praneeth will face Dutchman Mark Caljouw and Misha Zilberman of Israel in his group.

Sai Praneeth has to top Group D to go through to the pre-quarterfinals. He will then face the Group C winner, and that could see a potential match-up with eighth-seed Ng Ka Long Angus of Hong Kong.

The men’s doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy received a tough draw.

In Group A at Tokyo 2020, the Indian duo will be up against Indonesian top seeds Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo/Marcus Fernaldi Gideon; reigning BWF World Tour Finals champions Lee Yang/Wang Chi-Lin of Chinese Taipei and Great Britain’s Ben Lane/Sean Vendy.

Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy will have to finish in the top two in their group to go through to the quarter-finals.

If they win Group A, Chirag-Satwik will face the Group D runners-up, which has second seeds Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan.

If they finish second in Group A, Chirag-Satwik will play the winners of Group B, where home favourites Hiroyuki Endo and Yuta Watanabe have been drawn.

Indian badminton draw for Tokyo Olympics

Women’s singles (Group J)

PV Sindhu (IND)

Cheung Ngan Yi (HKG)

Ksenia Polikarpova (ISR)

Men’s singles (Group B)

B Sai Praneeth (IND)

Mark Caljouw (NED)

Misha Zilberman (ISR)

Men’s doubles (Group A)

Chirag Shetty/Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (IND)

Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo/Marcus Fernaldi Gideon (INA)

Lee Yang/Wang Chi-Lin (TPE)

Ben Lane/Sean Vendy (GBR)