Sindhu, Saina lead Indian challenge at World Championships

An exuberant P V Sindhu would look to improve the colour of her medal even as a fit-again Saina Nehwal eyes her maiden podium finish when a confident Indian badminton team starts its campaign in the World Championship here tomorrow.
Sindhu, fresh from a bronze in Glasgow Commonwealth Games, would try to ensure that she ends up better than third, a position she managed in the previous edition which made her the first Indian to win a medal at the prestigious event.
Saina, on the other hand, is back in action after taking a break to recover from the leg injury she sustained during her Australian Open triumph in June, as a result of which she was forced out of the Commonwealth Games.

"Till the end of July, I had not fully recovered from the injury which I sustained after Australian Open. This has affected my training but in the last three weeks, I have caught up and feel I will do my best in this tournament," Saina told PTI ahead of the mega-event.
Seeded seventh, Saina has been handed a first-round bye and she will open her campaign on Tuesday against the winner of the match between New Zealand's Anna Rankin and Russia's Natalia Perminova.
Sindhu, seeded 11th, has also received a first-round bye and will start against the winner of the match between Russia's Olga Golovanova and Bulgaria's Linda Zetcheri.

In men's singles, Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Parupalli Kashyap will be India's best bet for a medal. He will be up against Germany's Dieter Domke in the first round tomorrow.
Among others in the fray, Ajay Jayram will face fourth seed Kanichi Tago of Japan in his opening match, while the fast-rising K Srikanth will square off against Slovenia's Iztok Utrosa.