The Indian men’s doubles team of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have recently experienced a shift in their standing, dropping to world number three in the latest BWF World Rankings. On the same note, Kidambi Srikanth has slipped out of the top 30 in the men’s singles category as of Tuesday.
Rise of the Chinese Duo
Satwik and Chirag lost their second-place position to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who rose to the top after securing the Indonesia Open Super 1000 title. Unfortunately, the Indian pair had an early exit at the Singapore Open and decided to withdraw from the Indonesia Open last week.
While Liang and Wang clinched the top spot, the Danish pair of Kim Astrup and Anders Rasmussen moved up to become world number two.
Limited Opportunities for Recovery
The chances for Satwik and Chirag to regain their ranking in the immediate future seem slim, as they have opted to skip this week’s Australian Open Super 500.
Men’s Singles: A Tough Break for Kidambi Srikanth
In the men’s singles division, Kidambi Srikanth, a seasoned Indian shuttler and World Championships silver medallist, has fallen four places to world number 32, marking his lowest ranking in the past ten years. This drop follows his exit from the Singapore Open due to an injury.
Stable Positions for Prannoy and Sen
Despite the ups and downs for others, HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen have managed to maintain their positions in the men’s singles rankings, holding steady at world number 10 and 14, respectively.
PV Sindhu’s Steady Rank
In the women’s singles category, PV Sindhu remains steadfast at world number 12. Sindhu, a prominent figure in Indian badminton, is expected to enter the 2024 Paris Olympics with this ranking, underscoring her consistent performance over the years.
Women’s Doubles: Jolly and Gopichand on the Rise
In the women’s doubles division, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand have shown significant improvement. Their recent impressive performances have propelled them up to world number 24, a notable jump from world number 30 in late May.
Crasto and Ponnappa Make Gains
Additionally, the Olympic-bound duo of Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa have also seen a positive shift in their rankings. They have moved up one spot to secure the world number 19 position.
Olympic Seeding Prospects
Looking ahead to the Paris Olympics, it’s clear that besides HS Prannoy and the pair of Satwik/Chirag, few other Indian shuttlers are likely to secure seedings. For Prannoy, improving his ranking in the upcoming tournaments will be crucial to ensure a seeded position at the Olympics.
The recent BWF World Rankings highlight both the challenges and triumphs of Indian shuttlers. While some have faced setbacks, others have seized opportunities to climb higher. As they prepare for future tournaments and the 2024 Paris Olympics, these athletes will undoubtedly aim to improve and showcase their prowess on the global stage. The dynamic nature of the rankings serves as a reminder of the competitive spirit and resilience inherent in the world of badminton.
Also Read: Satwik-Chirag and Ashwini-Tanisha enter the Thailand Open semifinals
