Rio 2016: Enter the shuttlers

Four years after a bronze at London Games made her the toast of the nation, Saina Nehwal will once again carry a billion hopes when she along with the other six shuttlers, including doubles exponent Jwala Gutta, begin their campaign at the Rio Olympics here on Thursday.

She will be hungry to taste gold this time when she starts her campaign in Group G, which includes lesser-known players such as Lohaynny Vicente and Maria Ulitina.

Saina is likely to meet Thailands Porntip Buranaprasetsuk at the pre-quarter-finals and might face reigning champion Li Xuerui in the quarters. Current World champion and European champion Carolina Marin is a likely rival in the semi-finals, barring any hiccups in the earlier matches.

In women’s singles, two-time World Champion-ship bronze medallist P.V. Sindhu will also look to make her Olympic debut count when she starts her campaign in group M.

The ninth seed has Hungary’s Sarosi Laura and Commonwealth Games champion Michelle Li of Canada in her group.

The road ahead will get tough as she is likely to face Tzu Ying Tai of Chinese Taipei and might square off against 2012 Olympic silver medalist Wang Yihan in the sem’-ifinals and Sindhu will have to be consistent to come back with a medal.

In men’s singles, Kidambi Srikanth will carry India’s hopes as he battles in a highly-competitive field comprising Lee Chong Wei, Chen Long, Lin Dan and Jan O Jorgensen, among others.

The Guntur lad has an easy draw, with Henri Hurskeinen of Sweden and Lino Munoz of Mexico in his group. Should he progress to the pre-quarter-final stage, he is likely to face Jan O Jorgenson of Denmark.

Among other Indians in the fray, 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist women’s doubles pairs of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa and men’s doubles combo of Manu Attri and Sumeth Reddy will be keen to shine.