Saina & Srikanth’s Current Form May See Them Miss Out on Tokyo

Kidambi Srikanth and Saina Nehwal’s current form may see them miss out on qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

(Photo: IANS)

• Saina and Srikanth will need to be within the top 16 to be assured of a place in the Indian contingent that goes to Tokyo.
• Saina is placed a lowly 22nd in the Olympic qualification rankings as of 22 January.
• Saina and Srikanth now have just seven tournaments to make it to the list.

Four weeks into the Olympic year and the badminton qualification process has entered its home leg.

P.V. Sindhu and Sai Praneeth's medals at the 2019 World Championships hold them in good stead and they are more or less assured of a place in the Tokyo Olympics. Doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty's recent upturn in form has resulted in them being in a safe zone in the qualification rankings.

Beyond them, however, the picture becomes murky, particularly for Kidambi Srikanth and Saina Nehwal, two names that not too long ago were touted as medal prospects for India.

According to the BWF rules, 2 players from a singles category can qualify from each country if their rankings lie within the top 16. The cut-off day 26 April 2020.

Saina Nehwal has failed to win a title in the last 12 months.(Photo: AP)

Early Exits Not Helping Saina

With Sindhu currently placed sixth in the qualification rankings, Saina will need to be within the top 16 to be assured of a place in the Indian contingent that goes to Tokyo.

But, it’s going to be a tough journey for Saina specially considering the form she has been over the last few month.

The London Olympics bronze medallist has played three tournaments so far this 2020 and has gone past the first round only once.

She last won a title at the 2019 Indonesia Masters in January 2019 and in the 14 tournaments she has played since, Saina has managed to go past the first round only on six occasions.

This has resulted in her ranking slipping to 18th which is the first time in 10 years that she has slipped out of the top 16.

More importantly, she is placed a lowly 22nd in the Olympic qualification rankings as of 22 January. Her latest disappointment came on Wednesday when she was knocked out of the Thailand Masters in the first round, along with the rest of the Indian contingent in the tournament.

(Photo: AP)

Srikanth’s Drop in Form Continues

Srikanth finds himself in more choppy situation. He had risen to the top of the singles rankings in 2017 when he won the Indonesia Open, Australian Open, Denmark Open and French Open between June and October that year.

The French Open win remains his last title as injuries caught up with him and led to a dip in form. He has struggled to reproduce that form since then and his best result in 2019 was runners-up at the India Open in March.

Srikanth has suffered first round exits in all three tournaments he has played thus far in the year. He has slipped to 16th in the world rankings and is 26th in the Olympic qualification rankings.

As is the case with Saina, Srikanth will need to get into the top 16 so as to ensure that he gets a spot in Tokyo along with Sai Praneeth as things stand. He lost to Indonesian Shesar Hiren Rhustavito in the first round of Thailand Masters on Wednesday.

With rankings that will be released on 28 April, 2020 being the final consideration for the list of players, Saina and Srikanth now have just seven tournaments to make it to the list.

Srikanth had stated earlier that the tight schedule has played a role in his seemingly never-ending slump in form.

Saina has had her fair share of injury struggles in 2019. Ironically, problems caused by a tight schedule has led to both facing a situation where they have to play as many tournaments as they can in the run-up to the Olympics.