India Open: Sindhu, Saina to kickstart campaign, Viktor pulls out

Defending champion P.V. Sindhu and London Olympics bronze medallist Saina Nehwal will kickstart their India Open campaign at the Siri Fort Sports Complex here on Tuesday.

Rio Olympics silver medallist Sindhu has entered the tournament as women's top seed and will face Denmark's Natalia Rohde in her first match while fourth seed Nehwal will face Denmark's Sofie Dahl.

Meanwhile, in men's singles, world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen has pulled out of the tournament at last minute, giving India's Shubhankar Dey a place in the top of the draw without having played the qualifiers.

Indian ace shuttler Kidambi Srikanth will also begin his new season here after missing last week's Indonesia Masters.

Second-seeded Srikanth will lock horns with Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu.

World No. 10 H.S. Prannoy and Commonwealth champion Parupalli Kashyap will also feature in the tournament.

Among other Indians, B. Sai Praneeth will face England's Rajiv Ouseph of England, while Ajay Jayaram will face Indonesia's Tommy Sugiarto in the opening round.