Kashyap, Sayali are top seeds

Around 300 players from 27 states will take part in the five-day meet.
P Kashyap of PET has been given the top billing in the men’s section while Sayali Gokhale of Air India will be the top-rated player in the women’s section.

The tournament will witness top shuttlers, including national champion Arvind Bhat, Anup Sridhar, Guru Sai Dutt in the men’s section, while Aditi Mutatkar and national junior title holder Sikky Reddy will be the other top players in action among the women shuttlers. Top doubles players V Diju and Sanave Thomas would add some spice to the only second national-ranking tourney in the country to be held this year after the Tata Open in Mumbai.

“This is only the second domestic tournament this year after the Tata Open. We thank NPL for coming up with the sponsorship. We need more such support for the development of the sport,” said Prakash Padukone, former All England Badminton champion, at the press meet to announce the tournament on Monday.

However, ace shuttlers Saina Nehwal and Chetan Anand and Jwala Gutta will be the notable absentees in the tournament, conducted by Padukone Sports Management. The performance of the players here will be considered for selection of the Indian teams for the Thomas and Uber Cup. The qualifying rounds for the meet will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday while the main draw starts a day later.  In the men’s singles 128 players will battle it out in the qualifying rounds and 80 shuttlers fight it out in the women’s section. Eight qualifiers each from the men’s and women’s singles categories will join the 24 shuttlers for the tournament proper.

Seedings (singles):Men: Kashyap, 1; Arvind Bhat, 2; Guru Sai Dutt, 3; Ajay Jayaram, 4.
Women: Sayali Gokhale, 1; Trupti Murgunde, 2; Mudra Dahinje, 3; Ashwini Ponnappa, 4.