Tokyo, Japan– Indian badminton players are set to launch their challenge at the Japan Open Super 750 tournament in Tokyo starting Tuesday, with the world’s eyes on top doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty to end their title drought. The USD 950,000 event will also see singles stalwarts Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu aiming to rediscover their peak form.
Men’s Doubles: Satwik-Chirag Lead the Charge
Currently ranked world No. 15, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have shown consistent performance this season despite setbacks. The former world No. 1 duo has reached three semifinals – at the Malaysia Open, India Open in January, and Singapore Open – in addition to a quarterfinal finish at the Indonesia Open last month. Their season was briefly interrupted by Satwik’s health issues and Chirag’s persistent back injury, but having returned to full fitness, they are eager to convert their consistent runs into a title. They will open their campaign against Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk and Ki Dong Ju.
Another Indian men’s doubles pair, Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi, face a tough opening round against Korea’s third seeds Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae.
Men’s Singles: Lakshya Sen’s Quest for Form
Lakshya Sen, now ranked 18, has had a challenging season marked by multiple early exits. His most significant achievement so far remains a quarterfinal finish at the All England. A back injury forced his retirement at the Singapore Open, but he showed promising glimpses of his returning touch during a narrow three-game loss to world No. 3 Shi Yu Qi at the Indonesia Open. The 23-year-old will be hoping to build on that momentum as he begins his Japan Open journey against China’s Wang Zheng Xing.
Women’s Singles: Sindhu Aims for Consistency
For former world champion PV Sindhu, ranked 16, 2025 has been a season of struggles, with a quarterfinal at the India Open in January being her best performance. The 30-year-old has faced four first-round and three second-round exits this year. Recovering from a hamstring injury, Sindhu has been training under Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama for the past six months, a partnership she hopes will yield better results starting with her opening match against Korea’s Sim Yu Jin.
Also in women’s singles, Unnati Hooda, a Taipei Open semifinalist earlier this year, faces a tough first-round draw against Thailand’s seventh seed Pornpawee Chochuwong, while Anupama Upadhyaya will have an all-Indian clash against Rakshitha Ramraj.
Women’s Doubles
India will also have representation in women’s doubles with the pairs of Kavipriya Selvam-Simran Singhi and the Panda sisters – Rutaparna and Swetaparna – in the fray, looking to make their mark at the Super 750 event.
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