XtraTime Web Desk: India’s ace shuttlers PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth earned the top seeding in Commonwealth Games Badminton which will get underway at Carrara Sports and Leisure Center on April 10.
PV Sindhu will open her campaign against Falkland Islands’ Zoe Morris after both the players received byes in their respective opening rounds. The 22-year-old Indian is expected to meet the third seed Canadian Michelle Li who had beat Sindhu in the semi final four years ago.
Sindhu’s compatriot Saina Nehwal has been seeded second in the competition will meet Elsie de Villiers in the second round clash.
In men’s singles, Srikanth, who clinched four titles in the last season, will open his campaign against Liam Fong of Fiji and is likely to clash with 2010 silver medalist Rajiv Ouseph in the semi-finals.
All England Championships quarter finalist HS Prannoy is seeded third and will start his campaign with the winner of the match between Mauritius’ Paul Christopher Jean and Seychellois Steve Malcouzane. Prannoy is expected to face three-time Olympic silver medallist Lee Chong Wei, who has been seeded second, in the semifinals. The Malaysian star, a household name in Asia, won the gold medal at the Melbourne 2006 and Delhi 2010 Games. Prannoy had defeated Lee twice last year at the Indonesia Open and Denmark Open.
Badminton event will begin tomorrow with the mixed team championship, which features the Commonwealth’s top 16 nations across four groups, including top contenders Malaysia, England and India.