New Delhi: Following a quarter-final exit at the Arctic Open, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu has been handed a daunting opening-round fixture against world number one An Se-young at the Super 750 tournament in Odense. Sindhu, a former world champion, enters the event seeking to rebound after a three-game defeat to Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon last week. Her task in Denmark is exceptionally steep, having lost all ten of her previous encounters against the South Korean star. Nevertheless, the 31-year-old Indian aims to recapture the form that carried her to the Japan Open Super 750 title in July.
In the men's singles draw, compatriot Lakshya Sen faces an equally demanding start against third-seeded Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei. Lakshya is looking to regain momentum after an individual round-of-32 exit at the Asian Games, a campaign interrupted by a recent back injury. Despite recent setbacks, including reaching the All England final and the Paris Olympic semi-finals in 2024, Lakshya must navigate a tough field. Chou arrives in strong form, having recently defeated another Indian player, Ayush Shetty, at the Asian Games.
Ayush himself will start his Denmark Open campaign against Indonesia's Alwi Farhan, seeking to build on a season that included a 2025 US Open Super 300 victory and a notable win over then-world number one Shi Yuqi at the World Championships. Meanwhile, former world number one Kidambi Srikanth returns to the venue of his 2017 title victory to face France's Arnaud Merkle in his opening match.
India's women's singles contingent features four additional players: Tanvi Sharma against Japan's Natsuki Nidaira, Ashmita Chaliha against Bulgaria's Kaloyana Nalbantova, Devika Sihag against eighth seed Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand, and Unnati Hooda against China's Han Qian Xi. Unnati looks to build on a promising Asian Games run where she reached the quarter-finals and pushed Akane Yamaguchi to three games.
In men's doubles, fifth seeds Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty aim to move past a surprise first-round exit at the Asian Games. The Singapore Open and China Masters champions will open against China's He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu. The women's doubles challenge is spearheaded by World Championships bronze medallists Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, who face Chinese Taipei's Yan Fei Chen and Hsieh Pei Shan, while Rutaparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda meet sixth seeds Bao Li Jing and Cao Zi Han.