Kidambi Srikanth Returns to Badminton at Macau Open After Injury Layoff

Former World number one Kidambi Srikanth will make his comeback at the Macau Open starting Tuesday, as part of a 23-member Indian contingent. The tournament will also see notable players like Malvika Bansod and Gayatri Gopichand participating. However, stars PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen will be absent.

Former World number one Kidambi Srikanth is set to make his long-awaited return to badminton during the Macau Open, commencing on Tuesday. Srikanth, 31, has been absent from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) tour circuit since suffering an injury during the Singapore Open in May. He now returns as the sixth seed for the BWF Super 300 event.

In 2021, Srikanth secured a World Championships medal and made it to the semifinals of the Swiss Open earlier this year. However, he struggled to progress beyond the pre-quarterfinals in nine other tournaments this year. Talented shuttler Malvika Bansod, who recently reached the last eight stage of the China Open by defeating Paris Olympics 2024 bronze medallist Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, will not participate in the Macau Open.

India's top hopes in women's doubles rest on third seed Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly, who reached the semifinals of the Singapore Open BWF Super 750 event in June but have yet to secure a title this year. Commonwealth Games medalists N Sikki Reddy and B Sumeeth Reddy are set to lead India's charge in the mixed doubles competition.

Notably, the Macau Open will miss the presence of prominent Indian stars from the Paris Olympics 2024, including two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen. The tournament concludes on Sunday, featuring a strong Indian contingent across various categories.

(With inputs from agencies.)