The BWF Tour has come to India once again, this time for the Syed Modi International 300, where traditionally the Indians have done fairly well. Just last year PV Sindhu had won the women’s singles title, while the mixed doubles team of Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto had emerged winners. Once in 2018, Sameer Verma had won the men’s singles title, the last Indian to do so in the category.
But that record could soon change now as a host of men’s singles shuttlers are participating at the coveted Syed Modi International 2023, and have a solid chance of winning the tournament. The WR-8 HS Prannoy is the top seed in the competition, with Lakshya Sen being the fourth seed, and Kidambi Srikanth, sixth. There are other Indians in the fray too — Priyanshu Rajawat, Kiran George, Mithun Manjunath, and Sai Praneeth.
While most of them have been in horrendous form in 2023, and haven’t won any titles, given the level of low competition at the Syed Modi International, that could change now. The only player who could pose any threat to the Indians would be Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto. He is ranked 13th in the world for now.
What Would Winning the Title Mean for Indians?
The likes of Srikanth, Sen, and Praneeth, who have been struggling, could get a maximum of 7000 points. The runners-up can fetch up to 5950 points and a semis finish would ensure 4900 points. That would make a major difference in rankings for Sen, Srikanth, or even Prannoy. With a win, Prannoy could reach WR-6, Sen at 13 or 14, and Srikanth at 21st. If that happens at all, this could only benefit these shuttlers to make their case stronger for the Paris 2024 qualification.
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