Badminton

The Indian badminton duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who recently withdrew from the Indonesia Open title defense, have slipped two positions to third in the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings. The Chinese pair of Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang have ascended to the top spot, while Denmark's Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen have moved up two places to second.Rankireddy and Shetty, who regained the world number one ranking after winning the Thailand Open in May, have struggled for form lately. They suffered a first-round exit at the Singapore Open last month and have also withdrawn from the ongoing Australian Open.In men's singles, HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen have maintained their positions within the top 15, remaining at 10th and 14th respectively. Kidambi Srikanth has dropped four places to 32nd, while Priyanshu Rajawat (34th) and Kiran George (35th, up one place) are the next best Indians.Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu remains steady at 10th in the women's singles rankings. In women's doubles, the Paris Olympics-bound pair of Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa have improved one place to 19th. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand have also climbed one notch to 24th. The Commonwealth Games bronze-medallist pair had reached the last 16 at the Indonesia Open.

Para-badminton star Aarti Patil has made a triumphant return to the international circuit, securing a bronze medal at the Bahrain Para-Badminton tournament after a lengthy absence due to a leg injury. Her impressive performance has propelled her up the world rankings, but she remains determined to reach the top 10 by August to qualify for Level 1 tournaments on the BWF circuit.Patil's journey back to the court has been marked by resilience and determination. Since her last international appearance at the BWF World Championship in Thailand in February, she has undergone rehabilitation and rigorous training to regain her form. Her efforts paid off in Bahrain, where she reached the semifinals in the women's SU5 category before falling to compatriot Manisha Ramadass.Despite the setback, Patil's performance has boosted her world ranking by six spots to 14th. However, she recognizes the need to climb further to achieve her goals. "I need to be in the top-12 to play the Level BWF tournaments, and that is my next target," she said. "But more importantly, I am focused on doing my best at the Asian Championship and next year's World Championship and working towards that goal."Patil's aspirations are supported by the Punit Balan Group, which has committed to providing financial assistance for three years. This support has eased the financial burden of competing in international tournaments, allowing Patil to focus on her training and performance."The cost of competing in these international tournaments has been increasing, and it is only thanks to the financial assistance from the Punit Balan group that I could afford to play in the World Championship and this tournament," Patil said. "I am looking forward to playing in Uganda and changing the color of my medal."Patil's journey is an inspiration to aspiring para-athletes. Her determination, resilience, and unwavering support from her sponsors demonstrate the power of perseverance and the importance of financial support in achieving sporting excellence.