Rio Olympics: Saina Nehwal, Carolina Marin, Li Xuerui in same half of draw

Rio de Janeiro, July 27: India's ace shuttler Saina Nehwal faces a possible quarter-final meeting with Li Xuerui of China in the Rio Olympics 2016.

Full list of Indian athletes for Olympics; Rio Games Special Site

World number five Saina, who is seeded 5th at the Games, was last night (July 26) drawn into Group G of the women's singles. She has an easy group and should sail into badminton knockout stage (round of 16).

Saina is grouped with 24-year-old Maria Ulitina (Ukraine), who is world number 64 and 20-year-old world number 66 Lohaynny Vicente (Brazil). The Indian has previously had played against these two. Xuerui, the world number three is in Group E and Saina and she are set to meet in the quarter-final if both players progress.

If the 26-year-old Saina crosses the last-8 hurdle, then there is a possibility of facing world number Carlolina Marin, who is in Group A.

In the group stage, each player faces the other two with the top finisher entering the knockout phase (round of 16).

The top players from groups A, P and E will get a bye since their respective opponents - groups B, O and F - do not have any players. There are 40 players in women's singles and 41 in men's singles.

Saina won a bronze in last edition of Olympics in London 2012. PV Sindhu is the other Indian in the women's singles draw. She is in Group M.

In men's singles, India's Kidambi Srikanth is drawn into Group H with Henri Hurskainen and Lino Munoz. India have representation in doubles of both men and women. Manu Atthri and Sumeet Reddy Buss are in Group B while Ashwini Ponnappa-Jwala Gutta pair is in Group A.

Find out all the draws of men's singles, doubles, women's singles, doubles and mixed doubles in the slideshow.

Men's Singles

Lee Chong Wei is the top seed and he is drawn into Group A in men's singles.

Women's Singles

Here is the women's singles draw. India's Saina Nehwal is in Group G.

How the singles draw works

Who faces who after the group stage. Find out here. In group stage each player plays 2 matches and the topper goes to knockouts.

Men's Doubles

Here is the groupings for the men's doubles category at Rio Olympics.

Women's Doubles

India's Ashwini Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta are in women's doubles event.

How doubles draw works

Who faces who after the group stage of the doubles category. Find out here

Mixed Doubles

Find out who are in which group in the mixed doubles of Rio Olympics.

Saina Nehwal's name is picked

Saina's name is picked out of the box as the draw for women's singles is being held.

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