Ace shuttlers Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu and K Srikanth will be country's best bets when they compete in a world class field at the USD 250,000 India Open Super Series, which will get underway with the qualifiers at the Siri Fort Sports Complex here tomorrow.
In its fourth edition, the India Open will be a big opportunity for the country's shuttlers to show their mettle in front of the home crowd against some of the biggest names in the game.
Indian chief coach Pullela Gopichand reckons it will be the toughest Indian Super Series.
"The entire group has a tough draw because all the top players are playing. It will the toughest Indian Open we have had in all its editions. It's going to be tough but that's the way it is, we have to face it," said the 2001 All-England champion.
London Olympics bronze medallist, Saina is the only Indian to be seeded, eighth, and will once again be the star attraction when she starts her campaign against Austrian Simone Prutsch on Wednesday.
World No.1 and Olympic champion Li Xuerui of China is the top seed. Defending and World Champion Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand though has pulled out because of injury.
After a forgettable 2013, Saina arrested a dip in her performance by clinching the Syed Modi International title early this year, before entering the quarterfinals of All England and Swiss Open.
The 24-year-old Indian is likely to reach the quarters, where in all probability former world champion Yihan Wang of China will be waiting for her in the last-eight encounter.
The third seeded Chinese enjoys an impressive 7-1 record against Saina and had beaten the Indian in the All England early this month.
Despite winning many titles world wide, Saina has not been able to cross the second round in the last three editions of the Indian Open and the Indian will look to better that result in this edition.
Her younger colleague, Sindhu, however, has a good record at the Indian Open as she reached the quarters and semifinals of the last two edition but the Indian has been handed a tough draw as she faces two-time All England Champion Shixian Wang of China in her campaign opener on Wednesday.
The World No. 9 Sindhu had beaten Shixian at the Swiss Open recently and has an impressive 3-0 head-to-head advantage against the former World No.1 Wang and she remains confident of her chances.
