Bolstered by a favourable draw, a fit-again Saina Nehwal will look to record her maiden podium finish when she leads the country’s strongest-ever squad at the 2013 badminton World Championships that begin here on Monday.
A medal at the Worlds has eluded Saina so far with her best performances being quarter-finals appearances in 2009 and 2011. The 23-year-old from Hyderabad will look to better her record this time around.
The world no. 3 has been going through a lean patch since the past nine months as she has failed to win a single tournament but a six-week break after the Southeast Asian circuit in June has given the Indian ample time to regain fitness.
Luck also seems to be on her side as she has got a bye in the first round and will open her campaign against the winner of the match between Russian Olga Golovanova (ranked 66) and Bulgarian Alesia Zaitsava (ranked 104).
Besides Saina, India will have P.V. Sindhu starring in the women’s singles line-up and the world number 12 will look to spring a few surprises in her maiden appearance at the event
In the men’s singles, Parupalli Kashyap is likely to clash with world no. 6 Hu Yun of Hong Kong in the third round.
If Kashyap can beat Hu Yun, he is expected to face China’s Du Pengyu (ranked third) in the quarters. Ajay Jayaram has been placed in the second half of the draw and in the first round, the unseeded Indian will face world no. 12 Wong Wing Ki of Hong Kong.
In the men’s doubles, Tarun Kona and Arun Vishnu will take on the Polish duo of Adam Cwalina and Przemyslaw Wacha.
In the women’s doubles, Ashwini Ponnappa and Pradnya Gadre will meet Marie Roepke and Line Damkjaer Kruse of Denmark, while N. Siki Reddy and Aparna Balan will be up against English pair of Gabrielle White and Lauren Smith.