Lakshya Sen vs Ayush Shetty could be the perfect final

Ayush Shetty and Lakshya Sen. Pics/AFP

Indian badminton has enjoyed a couple of heartening results thanks to South Korean coach Park Tae Sang, who earlier guided PV Sindhu to her epochal Japan Open Super 750 triumph. But while we celebrate the maiden Super 300 titles of Park's younger wards, Tanvi Sharma, 17, (Taipei Open) and Ashmita Chaliha, 26, (Korea Masters), it's pertinent to note that neither has made the World Badminton Championship, beginning in New Delhi on August 17.

Though the singles draw has 64 berths, BWF rules permit a maximum of two entrants per country, rising to four if a nation has that many players in the top eight. Hence, Unnati Hooda, ranked No. 26, earns the second Indian women's singles spot behind ninth-seeded PV Sindhu, while her compatriots miss out.

Unnati Hooda and PV sindhu

Unnati faces a challenging route, with Canada's 13th seed Michelle Li and Japan's exciting youngster Tomoka Miyazaki (8) potentially awaiting before the round of 16. Three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi, the second seed, dominates the lower half.

For 2019 world champion Sindhu, seeded ninth, a pre-quarter-final clash could be against No. 3 seed Wang Zhi Yi of China, who leads their career meetings 4-3. Victory would put Sindhu on course for a semi-final against Korean top seed and reigning world champion An Se Young.

Among the men, it's disappointing to see 2021 World Championships silver medallist Kidambi Srikanth miss out at No. 35, a massive 15 places behind Ayush Shetty and 25 behind India's top-ranked Lakshya Sen (No. 10).

Ayush faces the toughest opening-round assignment, against China's World No. 1 and top seed Shi Yu Qi. It could, however, be a blessing in disguise to meet the world and All England champion before he settles into the court conditions. Shi leads their head-to-head 3-0, but Ayush can exploit home advantage to spring a major upset.

Sen, seeded 14th, could meet Thailand's second seed and 2023 world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the pre-quarter-finals. The Thai leads 8-5 in 13 meetings, but Sen has often matched him stroke for stroke, making this one tough to call. A quarter-final against fifth seed Frenchman Christo Popov could follow. The lower half also features Jonatan Christie, Loh Kean Yew, Lin Chun-yi and dark horse Victor Lai - all players Sen has beaten. Sen has the ability to negotiate this minefield and potentially set up a final showdown with defending champion Shi Yu Qi or compatriot Ayush Shetty.

[popcorn number="0" desc="No. of World Badminton Championship titles won by India in men's singles" class="Default"]

[popcorn number="One" desc="PV Sindhu is the only Indian to win a World Badminton Championship title; she beat Japan's Nozomi Okuhara 21-7, 21-7 in 2019" class="Default"]

[popcorn number="Five" desc="Total number of World Badminton Championship medals won by PV Sindhu (1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze)" class="Default"]