India's most successful year on the international badminton circuit got better with Kidambi Srikanth's title-winning run at the Denmark Open last week. Srikanth's performance meant that Indians have won a singles title at six of the nine Superseries events this year. With the French Open being the tenth Superseries event, we take a look at India's chances of extending that tally by the end of the week.
Importance of the French Open
First held in 1908, the French Open is one of the oldest badminton tournaments. It has been a Superseries event since 2007, which is when the Superseries format was adopted. However, it has never been won by an Indian since it was promoted to this grade.
Srikanth and Saina Nehwal missed the tournament last year, while PV Sindhu lost in the second round. With all three of them in action this year, they will be eyeing a deep run with plenty at stake.
A title-winning run from Srikanth could see him climb to as high as world No. 2, while Sindhu will have the opportunity to narrow the gap between her and world No. 1 Tai Tzu Ying, who she might face in the final if both of them get that far.
India's prospects
Sindhu and Srikanth, the only Indian players to be seeded at the tournament, again represent the country's best chance of a podium finish. Second-seeded Sindhu's first real challenge will mostly come in the form of Chinese teenager Chen Yufei in the last eight. Chen had lost to Sindhu in the semi-finals of the World Championships but defeated her in the first round in Denmark.
Srikanth is likely to run into China's Shi Yuqi, who is seeded fourth, in the quarterfinals. The Indian won both their previous matches in straight games and will fancy his chances of getting to the last four, where he might face second-seed Son Wan Ho.
Other top contenders
Tai, 2015 champion Carolina Marin and Sindhu will start as the favourites at the tournament, where eight of the top-10 ranked women will be in action. Tai, Sindhu and Marin have combined to win six of the nine Superseries events this year and it will be a big surprise if one of them doesn't win in Paris. However, both Marin and Tai have a tricky draw. Marin is likely to face 2012 champion Minatsu Mitani in the opening round and Indonesia Open (Superseries Premier) winner Sayaka Sato in round two. Tai might run into eighth-seed Ratchanok Intanon, who won the Denmark Open, in the last eight.
The men's field features seven of the world's top 10 but Lin Dan and Viktor Axelsen have chosen to skip the tournament. Three-time champion Lee Chong Wei will start as the favourite besides Chen Long and Srikanth. Both Lee and Chen suffered early exits in Denmark and will want to add another title to their already impressive Superseries trophy collections. Axelsen's late pullout has left the draw open for Chen and Lee -- and they might face each other in the semis.
Dark horses
Saina Nehwal will look to continue her streak of winning at least one Superseries title every year since 2014, having failed to win one so far this year. She seemed to be regaining her touch at the Worlds, where she won bronze. She then defeated Marin in Denmark before losing to eventual finalist Akane Yamaguchi. She's likely to face Yamaguchi in the second round here, with the winner of that match likely to face Sindhu in the semis.
When B Sai Praneeth won his maiden Superseries title in Singapore earlier this year, it looked like he was on the verge of finally realizing his tremendous potential. But he has not followed up on the breakthrough performance, having failed to progress beyond the last eight in five Superseries tournaments since then. Praneeth will most likely run into Lee in the second round in Paris but will draw confidence from their previous match, which he won at the All England Open last year.