BAC: Sindhu, Prannoy, Doubles pair ousted, India’s campaign ends
This was Sindhu’s first loss against the Chinese shuttler in six meetings.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu has slipped t0 world No. 17,her worst in ten years, in the latest women’s singles BWF rankings, released on Tuesday.
The Indian who was world No. 12 in the standings last week hasn’t been outside the top 16 in the women’s singles rankings since January 2013.
Sindhu, whose career-best ranking of world No. 2 was back in April 2017, started the 2023 season as the world No. 7 singles player but has dropped down the list after enduring a poor run of form in the few months.
The 27-year-old Hyderabadi has struggled for form this season since making a comeback after a long injury lay-off following her gold medal win at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
She returned to action at the Malaysian Open and Indian Open this year and suffered first-round exits from both tournaments. Sindhu was part of India’s bronze medal win at the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championship at Doha in February but overall, has been in poor form.
In the 11 BWF World Tour 2023 competitions she has been a part of this year; she has lost in the first round on five occasions and made second round exits in two more.
The highlight of her season so far was a final appearance at the Madrid Masters. She lost in the quarter-finals of the US Open last week and will be in action at the ongoing Korea Masters.
Sindhu’s fellow Olympic medal-winner Saina Nehwal also dropped five places to the 36th position in the women’s singles rankings. The London 2012 bronze winner has had her own struggles with injuries and form this year. Aakarshi Kashyap (42), Malvika Bansod (45) and Ashmita Chaliha (49) are the other women’s singles shuttlers in the top 50.
In men’s singles, HS Prannoy, who won his maiden BWF World Tour title at the Malaysia Masters in May, remained India’s top-ranked player but dropped two spots to 10th. Lakshya Sen, who won the Canada Open earlier this month, is 12th while former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth remained static in 20th place.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty retained their world No. 3 ranking in men’s doubles but the women’s doubles pairing of Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly slipped down a spot to 19th.
Rohan Kapoor and N Sikki Reddy, at world No. 35, are the best-ranked Indian pair in mixed doubles
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