Markham: Fresh from a runner-up finish at the US Open, India's Kidambi Srikanth will look to capitalise on his impressive form when he spearheads the country's challenge at the Canada Open Super 300 badminton tournament beginning here on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old has been in excellent touch, storming into the final of the US Open Super 300 before going down to Chinese Taipei's Su Li Yang in the title clash.
Srikanth, the 2021 World Championships silver medallist, will look to carry that momentum into this week's event when he opens against Malaysia's Paris Olympics bronze medallist Lee Zii Jia.
The Indian had got the better of Lee in straight games in the opening round of the US Open last week at Fullerton.
Lee is still searching for consistency after recovering from a serious right ankle ligament injury and subsequent back problems.
Among the other Indians in men's singles, Tharun Mannepalli, who has been named in India's squad for the upcoming Asian Games, will face a qualifier in the opening round.
Saneeth Dayanand, a silver medallist at the Saint Denis Reunion Open, has been drawn against third seed Yudai Okimoto of Japan, who had pushed Srikanth to the limit in the US Open semifinals last week.
Former World Junior Championships silver medallist S. Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian will begin his campaign against South Korea's Yoo Tae Bin.
In women's singles, fifth seed Devika Sihag, who claimed her maiden BWF World Tour Super 300 title at the Thailand Masters in Bangkok earlier this year, will face Chinese Taipei's Tung Ciou-Tong in the opening round.
She also reached the semifinals of the US Open last week.
Anmol Kharb faces a stern opening-round test against top seed Michelle Li of Canada.
Shriyanshi Valishetty, who won her maiden BWF Super 100 title at the Al Ain Masters in Abu Dhabi earlier this year, will take on Chinese Taipei's Huang Ching Pi.
Aakarshi Kashyap, runner-up at the Saint-Denis Reunion Open in May, will meet Spain's Clara Azurmendi, while Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj, winner of this year's Vietnam International Challenge, faces Canada's Rachel Chan.
Tanya Hemanth will begin her campaign against a qualifier.
In men's doubles, Achutaditya Rao Doddavarapu and Pochana Arjun have been handed a tough opening-round draw against fifth-seeded Canadians Kevin Lee and Ty Alexander Lindeman.