New Delhi: India’s top badminton duo, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, will be aiming to break their title drought and continue their consistent run as they lead India’s challenge at the Japan Open Super 750 tournament, which kicks off in Tokyo on Tuesday.
The world No. 15 pair, who were once ranked No. 1, have reached three semifinals this season, including strong showings at the Malaysia and India Opens in January. After missing a stretch of tournaments due to Satwik’s health concerns and Chirag’s back injury, they returned to form with a semifinal finish at the Singapore Open and a quarterfinal appearance at the Indonesia Open last month. The 2022 Commonwealth Games champions will begin their Japan Open campaign against Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk and Ki Dong Ju.
In the singles category, both PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen will be looking to rediscover their touch and bounce back from a string of early exits this season.
Lakshya, ranked 18th in the world, has had a tough year marked by multiple first-round defeats. His most notable performance was a quarterfinal finish at the All England Open. The 23-year-old has been recovering from a back injury that forced him to retire mid-match at the Singapore Open, but he showed promising signs during a close three-game contest against world No. 3 Shi Yu Qi in Indonesia. Lakshya opens his Japan campaign against China’s Wang Zheng Xing.
For Sindhu, currently ranked 16th, 2025 has been equally challenging. The two-time Olympic medalist and former world champion has failed to go past the quarterfinal stage in any tournament this year, with her best result being a last-eight finish at the India Open in January. She has also faced four first-round and three second-round exits. Having turned 30 this month, Sindhu is on a comeback trail after a hamstring injury and has been training under Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama. She begins her campaign in Tokyo against Korea’s Sim Yu Jin.
Among the rising stars, teenage sensation Unnati Hooda, who reached the semifinals at the Taipei Open earlier this year, will face a stiff test in the opening round against Thailand’s seventh seed, Pornpawee Chochuwong. Meanwhile, Anupama Upadhyaya is set for an all-Indian clash with Rakshitha Ramraj in her first match.
In men’s doubles, Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi will face a tough opening encounter against Korea’s third-seeded duo of Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae. In the women’s doubles section, Indian pairs Kavipriya Selvam-Simran Singhi and sisters Rutaparna and Swetaparna Panda are also part of the main draw.
With top Indian names returning to action at full fitness and promising young talent in the mix, the Japan Open presents a crucial opportunity for India’s badminton contingent to regain form and aim for podium finishes on the world stage.
