November 12, 2024: India’s badminton contingent, led by PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, and the women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, is all set to compete at the Kumamoto Masters 2024 in Japan this week. The tournament marks a significant return to the BWF World Tour for these athletes after their respective campaigns at the Denmark Open in October.
PV Sindhu:
Ranked 19th in the world in women’s singles, Sindhu has had a mixed year so far. At the Denmark Open, she reached the quarter-finals before falling to Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, the Paris 2024 Olympics bronze medallist. This came after a notable victory over China’s Han Yue, the then-world No. 7. Sindhu has been searching for her first title on the BWF World Tour since her 2022 Singapore Open win. Despite the challenges, Sindhu remains one of India’s brightest prospects, and her experience will be crucial in Kumamoto.
Lakshya Sen:
The 2021 World Championship bronze medallist and world No. 17 has had a tough start to the Olympic cycle, failing to register a win at the Arctic Open and the Denmark Open. He is India’s sole representative in the men’s singles event at the Kumamoto Masters and will be aiming to turn his form around ahead of the Paris Olympics. Having come close to an Olympic medal in Tokyo, Sen’s potential remains high, but he will need to rediscover his best form to make an impact in Japan.
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand:
The Commonwealth Games bronze medallists will be competing in women’s doubles, where they have established themselves as a solid pair on the international circuit. While they are not the highest-ranked pair in the field, their strong performances at multi-sport events like the Commonwealth Games demonstrate their capability to compete with some of the best. They will be looking to build on their success and continue their rise in the world rankings.
Interestingly, there will be no Indian representation in the men’s doubles and mixed doubles categories at the Kumamoto Masters, a departure from previous tournaments where India has often featured in these events. This may be due to a strategic focus on singles and women’s doubles, or simply a lk of suitable pairings for these events at the moment.
For Sindhu, this tournament is a chance to break her title drought and gain confidence before the bigger events ahead. Lakshya Sen will hope to finally secure a win in the new Olympic cycle, while Jolly and Gopichand will be aiming for another podium finish to strengthen their position on the world stage.
With India’s top badminton players looking to bounce back from earlier setbacks, the Kumamoto Masters will be an important event for the national team to assess their readiness for the upcoming challenges on the road to the Paris Olympics.
