Sindhu, Srikanth get top seeding

Olympic silver-medallist P V Sindhu and World No 2 K Srikanth have been given the top billing in the respective women’s and men’s singles badminton competitions of the Commonwealth Games starting at Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre on April 10.

In the draw of 64, Sindhu will begin her quest for the gold in the second round against Falkland Islands’ Zoe Morris after both the players received byes in their respective opening rounds.

The 22-year-old Indian is expected to meet 2014 Glasgow Games champion Michelle Li. The third seeded Canadian had beaten Sindhu in the semi-finals four years back en route to her gold medal.

2010 champion and former world No 1 Saina Nehwal has been seeded second and will start her campaign with a second-round clash with Elsie de Villiers in the other half of the draw.

Ruthvika Gadde, meanwhile, has been seeded eighth and she will face the winner of the match between Ghana’s Atipaka Grace Gha and Ah Wan Juliette of Seychelles in the second round after receiving a bye in the first round. She is likely to face 2014 silver medallist Kristy Gilmour in the quarters.

In men’s singles, Srikanth, who clinched four titles in the last season, will open his campaign against Liam Fong of Fiji and is likely to clash with 2010 silver medallist Rajiv Ouseph in the semi-finals.

The other Indian H S Prannoy, who reached the quarterfinals at the All England Championship last month, has been seeded third and will start his tournament with a second-round clash with the winner of the match between Mauritius’ Paul Christopher Jean and Seychellois Steve Malcouzane.