Saarbrucken [Germany], October 28 (ANI): A young Indian contingent, which will be spearheaded by Malvika Bansod and Sathish Kumar Karunakaran, is set to be in action at the Hylo Open 2024 badminton tournament in Saarbrucken, Germany commencing on Tuesday.
In the absence of top Indian shuttlers including PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth, the Indian youngsters will have the spotlight on them on the badminton courts of the Saarlandhalle indoor arena.
Last year’s quarter-finalist Malvika Bansod, 35th in the world badminton rankings, will enter the upcoming edition of the tournament as the sixth seed in the women’s singles event.
World Number 44 Sathish Kumar Karunakaran, billed seventh in men’s singles, is the only other-seeded Indian at the Hylo Open this year.
Karunakarn will also team up with Aadya Variyath for the mixed doubles competition while the women’s pair of Priya Konjengbam/Shruti Mishra is the only other Indian challenge in women’s doubles this year.
Ayush Shetty, S Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian and Chirag Sen will also be in action on the badminton courts at Saarbrucken.
Paris 2024 Olympics semi-finalist Lakshya Sen was the last Indian to win a title at the Hylo Open, clinching the men’s singles crown in what used to be a BWF Super 100 event back then. Subhankar Dey, another Indian shuttler, also won the men’s crown the preceding year.
Hylo Open 2024 badminton: India squad
Men’s singles: Ayush Shetty, Tharun Mannepalli, S Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian, Chirag Sen, Sathish Kumar Karunakaran
Women’s singles: Malvika Bansod, Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj, Keyura Mopati (Q)
Women’s doubles: Priya Konjengbam/Shruti Mishra
Mixed doubles: Sathish Kumar Karunakaran/Aadya Variyath. (ANI)
