Saina and Company set sights on Swiss Open

Two-time winner Saina Nehwal and defending champion K. Srikanth will look to put behind the disappointment of the All England Championship and train their guns on the Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold starting with the qualifiers on Tuesday.

Top seed Saina, who clinched the title in 2011 and 2012, will lock horns with Germany’s Karin Schnaase in the opening round in the women’s singles.

World no. 10 Srikanth, seeded third, will open his campaign against Muhammad Bayu Pangisthu of Indonesia.

Saina lost in the quarter-final while Srikanth’s campaign ended in the second round in Birmingham.

Of the five other Indians in the men’s singles, B. Sai Praneeth will enjoy his share of attention after his gaint-killing act at the All Englands last week, where he stunned former world no. 1 and two-time Olympic silver medallist Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia.

Praneeth will open his campaign against Lucas Corvee of France.

The 11th seeded Ajay Jayaram will be up against Malaysia’s Jiann Shiarng Chiang, while H.S. Prannoy will meet Finland’s Kalle Koljonen.