Satwik-Chirag aim Japan Open crown as Sindhu, Lakshya hunt form revival

The Indian pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will look to extend their consistent run and end their title drought when they spearhead the country's challenge at the Japan Open Super 750 badminton tournament beginning here on Tuesday.

Currently ranked world No. 15, Satwik and Chirag have reached three semifinals this season, besides making the quarterfinals at the Indonesia Open last month. After semifinal finishes at the Malaysia and India Open in January, the 2022 Commonwealth Games champions missed several weeks due to Satwik's health issues and Chirag's lingering back injury.

Returning to full fitness, they made a semifinal appearance at the Singapore Open and reached the quarterfinals in Indonesia. The former world No. 1 duo will open their campaign against Korea's Kang Min Hyuk and Ki Dong Ju.

In singles, Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu will hope to rediscover form at the USD 950,000 event.

Lakshya has struggled this season with multiple first-round exits, his best show being a quarterfinal finish at the All England. Troubled by a back injury that forced him to retire against Lin Chun-Yi at the Singapore Open, he showed glimpses of returning touch during a narrow three-game loss to world No. 3 Shi Yu Qi at Indonesia. The 23-year-old, now ranked 18, opens against China's Wang Zheng Xing.

For Sindhu, ranked 16, a quarterfinal at India Open in January remains her best performance in 2025. The former world champion, who turned 30 this month, has endured four first-round and three second-round exits this year.

Recovering from a hamstring injury, she has been training under Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama for the past six months and begins her campaign against Korea's Sim Yu Jin.

Among others, Unnati Hooda, a Taipei Open semifinalist earlier this year, faces seventh seed Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand in the opening round, while Anupama Upadhyaya takes on fellow Indian Rakshitha Ramraj.

In men's doubles, Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi will face Korea's third seeds Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae.

Women's doubles pairs Kavipriya Selvam-Simran Singhi and the Panda sisters Rutaparna and Swetaparna are also in the fray.