Paris, Aug 13 (PTI) - Lakshya Sen is set to face a formidable challenge as he begins his campaign against world No. 1, Shi Yu Qi of China, at the World Championships starting on August 25. It's a familiar rivalry, with this being their fifth encounter, and Shi Yu Qi boasts a 3-1 lead in head-to-head records. Sen, who clinched a bronze medal in the 2021 edition, has been striving to find his rhythm since his semifinal exit at the Paris Olympics last year.
Currently ranked 21, the 23-year-old former Commonwealth Games gold medallist from Almora has struggled with consistency throughout this season, managing only a quarterfinal appearance at the All England. While he's shown flashes of brilliance, closing out crucial matches has been a challenge.
Meanwhile, India's other men's singles bronze medallist, HS Prannoy, will kick off his campaign against Finland's lower-ranked Joakim Oldorff. However, a second-round face-off with world No. 2 Anders Antonsen of Denmark looms large for the world No. 34 Indian.
On the women's singles front, the tournament's most celebrated Indian shuttler, PV Sindhu, has drawn a relatively easy path in the initial rounds. She will begin her challenge against Bulgaria's world No. 66, Kaloyana Nalbantova. Nonetheless, Sindhu might clash with world No. 2 Wang Zhi Yi of China in the round of 16.
Ranked 15, Sindhu's year has seen a mix of highs and lows, with a quarterfinal finish at the India Open being her best outing. The two-time Olympic medallist and 2019 champion has faced several early exits this season.
In men's doubles, India's top duo, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, have gained a first-round bye. They will take on either compatriots Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruben Kumar, or the Chinese Taipei pair, Liu Kuang Heng and Yang Po Han, in the second round.
The road ahead, however, may bring them face-to-face with world No. 6 Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in a potential round-of-16 clash. The Chinese pair has a 6-2 head-to-head lead over the Indians. If Satwik and Chirag overcome this challenge, they could encounter their long-time rivals from Malaysia, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, who have bested them 11 times in 14 meetings, including at last year's Paris Olympic quarterfinals.
Nonetheless, it's been a season marked by steady performances for the world No. 3 pair, who have recorded semifinals finishes at prestigious tournaments such as the India Open, Singapore Open, and Malaysia Open, plus a quarterfinal appearance in the Indonesia Open.
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