Paris Olympics: Shuttler Nettasinghe to face World No.7 Jia in Group ‘G’ opener

Sri Lanka’s young badminton sensation Viren Nettasinghe will take on World No.7, Lee Zi Jia in his opening group stage encounter at the Paris Olympic Games badminton competition on Sunday (28).

Competing in Group ‘G’, Nettasinghe will take on the formidable Malaysian opponent at 10:10am local time, approximately 1:40pm Sri Lanka time, at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena, located in the La Chapelle neighborhood of Paris.  

This match will be a crucial test for the World No.70 ranked Nettasinghe, who is the youngest badminton player to directly qualify for the Paris Games.

His second match will be against Spain's seasoned player Pablo Abian.

The date and time for Nettasinghe’s match against the 39-year-old World No.62 are yet to be announced, but it promises to be another thrilling encounter.

Both the matches in Group ‘G’ are critical for the Sri Lankan shuttler, as only the top player will advance to the Round of 16 at the Paris Games.

Nettasinghe's performance during the first-round will be crucial in determining his progress in the tournament.

Fans and supporters back home in Sri Lanka will be eagerly watching and cheering for their young star, hoping to see him make history on the Olympic stage.

All eyes will be on Nettasinghe, who will carry the National flag at the opening ceremony on Friday (26) at River Seine, as he embarks on his Olympic journey.