Still, excitement will not be at a premium as the event features a clutch of stars who can enthrall the audience.
The presence of three-time National champion Anup Sridhar, current women’s National title holder Trupti Murgunde and a few other names have the wherewithal to offer some thrilling moments in this three-day event.
Petroleum Sports Promotion Board’s Ajay Jayaram, who lost in the semifinals of the Malaysia Open Grand Prix to eventual winner Lee Chong Wei earlier this month, has been given the top billing in the men’s section with PSPB-mate Sridhar seeded second. Karnataka’s Mohit Kamat has been seeded fourth while Rohan Castelino and Krishna SDS are sixth and seventh repectively.
In the women’s category, Trupti will start the event as the favourite with Air India’s Sayali Gokhale is expected to give the PSPB shuttler run for the money.
One of the big names who would be seen in action on Sunday is Jwala Gutta, who has enjoyed considerable success playing mixed doubles with V Diju. She will partner Ashwini Ponnappa in the women’s doubles -- the duo seeded fourth.
The Karnataka Badminton Association courts will host the first round and pre-quarterfinals of the singles and doubles events on Sunday and the quarterfinals on Monday morning. The semifinals will then move to KGS Club on Monday with the finals slated for Tuesday.
List of qualifiers: Men’s singles: Siddharth Jain (TN), Shrikanth K (AP), Himanshu Kharbanda (Rly), Hirak Jyoti Neog (AI), Ajay Kumar K (Rly), Sai Praneeth B (AP), Vijetha NVS (AP), Aneesh KA (Ker).
Women’s singles: Sampada Sahasrabudhe (Mah), Poornima CH (AP), Poorvisha SR, Tanvi Lad (Mah), Sanyogita Ghorpade (Mah), Daya Elsa Jacob (Ker), Arathi Sara Sunil (Ker), Dhanya Nair (Rly).
Men’s doubles: Prannoy HS (AI)/ B Sumeeth Reddy (AP); Mayank Behal (PNB)/ Tanveer Gill (Del); Tanishak K/ Vinayak NN (AP); Srikanth K/ Hemanagendra Babu T (AP);
Women’s doubles: Rituparna Das (WB)/ Maneesha K (AP); Jui Agaskar (Mah)/ Saili Rane (AI); Linymol PS (Ker)/ Arathi Sara Sunil (Ker); Sindhu P (AP)/ Arundhati Pantawane (Mah).
Mixed doubles: Manjush Mohan KK (Ker)/ Arthi Sara Sunil (Ker); Srikanth K (AP)/ Maneesha K (AP); Bahniman Borah (Asm)/ Chitra Lekha (Rly); Aneesh KA (Ker); Linmoy PS (Ker).
