Saina Nehwal

Star Indian shuttler and defending champion Saina Nehwal has been seeded No.2 in the women’s singles event for the $750,000 Australian Open Superseries to be played here from May 26 to 31.

World No.2 Saina had defeated Spaniard Carolina Marin — who later won the World Championships — to lift the trophy last year. This time she will open her campaign against a yet to be decided qualifier.

Meanwhile, World No.11 P.V. Sindhu is unseeded and has a tough opening match in the face of former World Champion Yihan Wang of China.

In men’s singles, World No.4 Kidambi Srikanth has been seeded fourth and will start his campaign against Danish Hans-Kristian Vittinghus while compatriot H.S. Prannoy opens against China’s Tian Houwei. Parupalli Kashyap has also been given a tough opener against Chinese sixth seed Wang Zhengming in the draw of 32.

In men’s doubles, Pranaav Chopra and Akshay Dewalkar will take on Cai Yun and Kang Jun while Commonwealth Games champions Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa will face Dutch pair Samantha Barning and Iris Tabeling in women’s doubles.

There is no Indian representation in the mixed doubles event.