Changzhou
Top Indian shuttler PV Sindhu will have to find a way to battle fatigue if she has to continue her consistent run in the international circuit and regain her crown at the China Open, beginning here Tuesday.

Sindhu showed signs of fatigue during her second-round exit at the last week’s Japan Open, her first early loss since the first-round ouster from the Denmark Open last October.

The 23-year-old Indian has been the most consistent this season with silver medals in all the major events — the Commonwealth Games, the World Championship and the Asian Games.

She also reached the finals at the India Open and the Thailand Open. However, a hectic schedule left her with very little time to recover.
Sindhu had won the China Open in 2016 and will be one of the favourites to secure the women’s singles title at the BWF World Tour Super 1000 tournament.

The third seeded Indian will start her campaign against Hong Kong’s Cheung Ngan Yi at the Olympic Sports Center Xincheng Gymnasium.

Two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Saina Nehwal, who had clinched a bronze at the Asian Games in Jakarta, will be rejuvenated after skipping the Japan Open. The Indian faces a tough first round against Korea’s Sung Ji Hyun.

Saina, who won the China Open title in 2014, has an 8-2 head-to-head record against Sung Ji and if she surpasses the Korean, she will have to overcome fifth seed Chinese Chen Yufei to stay in the title hunt.

In fact, Saina and Sindhu are on a collison course and might clash in the quarterfinals if they manage to clear the earlier rounds.

Among others, Kidambi Srikanth has looked a shadow of the man who clinched four titles last season. Though the seventh seeded Indian won the men’s singles silver at the Commonwealth Games, he has been inconsistent in the season so far.

Srikanth will look to build on his quarterfinals finish at the Japan Open when he begins his campaign against Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke.

HS Prannoy too will look to go deep in the tournament after starting against Hong Kong’s Ng Ka Long Angus, seeded eighth.