P.V. Sindhu will look to shrug off the disappointment of her recent early exits when she spearheads the Indian challenge at the $355,000 Singapore Open, starting here on Tuesday.
Sindhu has looked off colour in the last few weeks.
She made a first-round exit at the All England and lost in the second round of the Malaysia Open, losing to Korea’s Sung Ji Hyun both times. She entered the semifinals at the India Open but went down to He Bingjiao of China despite holding advantage in the first game.
She begins her campaign against Indonesia’s Lyanny Alessandra Mainaky.
Only title
Saina Nehwal is the only Indian to claim a title this season with the 29-year-old securing the crown at the Indonesia Masters following injury to Carolina Marin of Spain in the final.
She also entered the quarterfinals at All England after battling through a pancreas infection.
She returned at the Malaysia Open but went down in the first round. The sixth-seeded Indian will now have to be careful when she plays a fast-rising Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt of Denmark in the opening round here.
K. Srikanth will continue his quest to break his title jinx when he begins his campaign against a qualifier.
Other Indians
H.S. Prannoy will face France’s Brice Leverdez, while Swiss Open finalist B. Sai Praneeth has a tough fight ahead against World No. 1 and top seed Japan’s Kento Momota.