After winning medals at will at the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games, Indian shuttlers will be in action in the 38th edition of Badminton Asia Championships, starting April 24 in Wuhan, China.
How and when to watch Badminton Asia Championships on TV, online
Matches will start daily between April 24 and 29 at 10 am local time, 7:30 am IST and 3 am BST.
DSport will provide live TV coverage of the matches in India from Friday, April 27. The matches can be watched online on DSport's official website, DSport on Jio TV mobile app.
Preview
Arjuna award-winning Dinesh Khanna remains the only Indian to have won the Badminton Asia Championships title. He had finished on the top step of the podium way back in 1965 when the continental tournament was held in Lucknow, India.
However, the likes of PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy, who are fresh from their Commonwealth Games success, are in with chances to end the drought.
BAC 2018: Tough men's singles draw for Indian shuttlers
World number five Srikanth starts as the top seed in men's singles category. The 25-year-old faces a tricky first-round clash against lower-ranked (13) Kenta Nishimoto.
Srikanth has a 2-0 head-to-head record over Nishimoto but the Japanese shuttler has the ability to stun big names.
If he manages to overcome the initial hurdles, Srikanth is likely to face former world number one Lee Chong Wei as early as in the quarter-final.
Notably, the Indian shuttler lost the men's singles final of Commonwealth Games earlier this month to the Malaysia great, days after beating him in the men's singles rubber of the mixed team event gold medal match.
Unseeded Sameer Verma will face seventh seed Chou Tien Chen of China in the first round. Former world number two Kento Momota of Japan, who has been in good form since returning from a ban over gambling last year, is also part of the first half of the draw.
Prannoy faces early Lin Dan test
Meanwhile, Prannoy, who was beaten by Chong Wei in the semi-final of the Gold Coast Games, will start his campaign against a qualifier and is likely to meet sixth seed and four-time champion Lin Dan as early as in the second round.
World number 19 Sai Praneeth will face Suppanyu Avihingsanon in the first round and is likely to face third seed and defending champion Chen Long of China in the second round.
Quarter-finals predictions
- Kidambi Srikanth [1] vs Lee Chong Wei [5]
- Shi Yuqi [4] vs Chou Tien Chen [7]
- Chen Long [3] vs Ng Ka Long [8]
- Lin Dan [6] vs Son Wan Ho [2]
BAC 2018: Sindhu handed easy draw
Newly-crowned Commonwealth Games champion Saina Nehwal will start her campaign against a qualifier Wednesday.
The former world number one, who stunned compatriot PV Sindhu in the gold medal match in Gold Coast, may face reigning world champion and fifth seed Nozomi Okuhara as early as in the second round.
Meanwhile, third seed PV Sindhu take on Pai Yu Po of Chinese Taipei in the first round. She is likely to take on Sung Ji Hyun in the quarter-final of the tournament.
While the likes of second seed Akane Yamaguchi and sixth seed Chen Yufei have been drawn in the same group, Sindhu has avoided world number one and defending champion Tai Tzu Ying.
Quarter-finals prediction
- Tai Tzu Ying [1] vs He Bingjiao [8]
- Ratchanok Intanon [4] vs Saina Nehwal
- PV Sindhu [3] vs Sung Ji Hyun [7]
- Akane Yamaguchi [2] vs Chen Yufei [8]
Badminton Asia Championships global TV listings
Malaysia: Astro Supersport 3; Live stream: Astro Go
Singapore: Hub Sports
China: CCTV 5+
Key matches to watch out for on Wednesday, April 25
- Kidambi Srikanth [1] vs Kenta Nishimoto
- Lee Chong Wei [5] vs Qiao Bin
- Sameer Verma vs Chou Tien Chen [7]
