Paris Olympics 2024, Badminton Prediction women's singles: A look at possible winners of each group

India’s PV Sindhu will aim to complete a hat-trick of Olympics medals at Paris Olympics 2024.

With the biggest sporting extravaganza, the Paris Olympics 2024 nearly here, the BWF added more spice to the excitement by unveiling the badminton draws, for all categories barring men’s doubles in Kuala Lumpur on July 12.

The women’s singles event will see a total of 39 players, who have been divided into groups of three, aiming for a podium finish. World No. 1 South Korean An Se-young is the favourite to win gold but will have to contend with some tough challenges from the likes of Chen Yufei, Tai Tzu-ying and Carolina Marin.

India’s pride PV Sindhu, who is the seeded player in Group M, will be aiming to become the first Indian to win three individual Olympic medals.

Also Read: Which Indian athletes have won most medals at Olympics?

When one looks through the draw, it is clear that many top seeds are going to breeze through to the next round. Few others might not be so lucky. Group E will see two of the best players of this generation being drawn together. With only the group winners remaining in the reckoning, this group can unarguably be called ‘The Group of Death.’

With further ado, let us have a look at the potential group winners from each group in women’s singles:

Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024, Badminton Prediction: A look at possible winners of each group in men’s singles

Group A: An Se-young

No second thoughts, the first seed should not have any difficulty progressing, from a group that also comprises World No. #53, local Qi Xuefei and World No. #76, Bulgarian Kaloyana Nalbantova. This is one of the three groups where the winner goes straight to the quarterfinals.

The reigning world champion An Se-young, will play at her maiden Olympics. With the purple patch she has experienced for more than a year, she is one of South Korea’s best bets to win gold.

Also Read: An Se-young’s projected path to gold medal at Paris Olympics 2024

Group C: Akane Yamaguchi

Fifth seed Akane Yamaguchi is comfortably placed to go through to the Round of 16, but she is surely going to be challenged. While World No. #43 Thet Htar Thuzar from Myanmar is relatively unfancied, the same cannot be said about World No. #31, Canadian Michelle Li.

The former World No. #8 has been enduring a poor run recently, but she is no pushover. Yet, the Japanese, who herself has been struggling for form, should back herself to go through.

Group D: Supanida Katethong

Eleventh seed Thai Supanida Katethong will not be too worried about her group. The remaining shuttlers in the group are World No. #47 Lo Sin Yan Happy from Hong Kong and World No. #50 Brazilian Juliana Viena Viera. Katethong, who will be making her Olympic debut in Paris, has made her way up the rankings in the last two years.

Group E: Tai Tzu Ying or Ratchanok Intanon

All the best if you are trying to figure out who the Group E winner is going to be. Or if you are Lianne Tan (World No. 57 from Belgium), the third member in the ‘Group of Death.’ Two giants are going to clash with each other. Tokyo Olympics silver medalist and third seed Tai Tzu-ying.

But, World No. #21 Thai, Ratchanok Intanon, who went out with tears in Tokyo after losing to the Chinese Taipei shuttler will be looking to exact revenge. While she has dominated the circuit for years, Intanon might be slightly worried about her recent form.

Group G: Gregoria Mariska Tunjung

This group is again a relatively easier one to call. Seventh seed Indonesian Gregoria Mariska Tunjung should make her way through comfortably. The remaining members of the group are not well-known on the circuit: World No. #66, Czech, Tereza Svabikova and World No. #72, Ukrainian, Polina Buhrova.

Group H: Kim Ga-eun

A more competitive group, but 12th seed South Korean Kim Ga-eun should advance from here. She has a potentially tricky meeting with World No. #33, Malaysian, Goh Jin Wei. The third shuttler is World No. #102, South African, Johanita Scholtz.

Group I: Yeo Jia Min

The 13th seed couldn’t have asked for an easier path, having been drawn against World No. #96 Kate Foo Kune from Mauritius and Dorsa Yavarivafa from the Olympic Refugee Team. The Singaporean hasn’t had a great run recently but would want to pose a tough challenge at Paris.

Group J: Aya Ohori

The eighth seed too will be happy with her draw. She will be up against World No. #49, Peruvian, Ines Lucia Castillo and World No. #51, Turkish, Arin Neslihan. Infact, Ohori will be playing a lower-ranked opponent (Yeo Jia Min in all likelihood) in the Round of 16 too. Hence, she is likely to reach the quarterfinals at the least, at her debut Olympic Games.

Group K: Beiwen Zhang

The ninth seed hasn’t been in good touch recently and would be tested in the group. While she should be able to comfortably defeat World No. #80, Australian, Tiffany Ho, she will face a stiff challenge from World No. #26, Vietnamese, Nguyen Thuy Linh. The American, with her reputation and experience, does hold a clear edge though.

Group L: Carolina Marin

The fourth seed Spaniard is one of the icons of the game. Carolina Marin, the Rio Olympics gold medalist couldn’t participate in Tokyo due to a knee injury. Despite being on the sidelines for long and suffering other injuries, Marin eventually managed to work her way back to where she belonged.

The All England Championships 2024 winner is unlikely to be troubled much in the group, as she is up against World No. #69, Irish, Rachael Darragh and World No. #101, Swiss, Jenjira Stadelmann.

Group M: PV Sindhu

Indian ace shuttler PV Sindhu enters the tournament as the 10th seed. She goes up against unfancied World No. #75, Estonian, Kristin Kuuba and World No. #111, Maldivian, Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq. Having been out of form for a while, Sindhu should look to gain some momentum going into the Round of 16.

The former world champion has been known to peak at big tournaments: which is testified by her silver at Rio and bronze at Tokyo. Infact, she is the only women’s singles shuttler in Paris, who enters as a double Olympic medalist. It will be worth watching if she can shrug off her bad form, in her quest to win the only medal colour missing in her cabinet.

Also Read: PV Sindhu’s projected path to gold medal at Paris Olympics 2024

Group N: He Bing Jiao

The sixth seed has a tricky draw. She will have to contend with World No. #24 Kirsty Gilmour. The Scot has experience in playing big tournaments. The Chinese will surely enter as the favourite, though. The third member of the group is World No. #77 Keisha Fathima Azzahra from Azerbaijan. He Bing Jiao had finished fourth in Tokyo and would really want to finish on the podium this time.

Group P: Chen Yufei

Tokyo gold medalist Chen Yufei enters as the second seed in Paris. This is the third group, in which the winner doesn’t have to play the Round of 16. Arguably, this group is the only one in which all three names have been heard repeatedly on the BWF Tour.

World No. #34, Dane, Mia Blichfeldt has controversially entered the tournament and she wants to prove her worth. World No. 36 German Yvonne Li does have the experience of playing big tournaments, but the Chinese will enter as the overwhelming favourite.

She has been in sensational form: she won the last tournament she played (Indonesia Open) and will enter the Olympic Games with a big chance to defend her crown.

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