Satwik-Chirag Eye Strong Comeback as India Begins Japan Open Campaign

India's premier men's doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty , will return to action and spearhead the country's campaign at the prestigious USD 950,000 Japan Open Super 750 tournament, which begins on Tuesday.

The third-seeded duo had withdrawn from the Indonesia Open last month after Satwik aggravated a recurring shoulder injury. Their return comes on the back of a memorable triumph at the Singapore Open, where they ended a two-year title drought and reaffirmed their status as one of the world's leading doubles combinations. They will open their campaign against Denmark's Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard .

India's singles hopes will once again revolve around Lakshya Sen , P V Sindhu , and the fast-rising Ayush Shetty . Lakshya, the All England Championships finalist earlier this year, begins against Japan's Koki Watanabe . Despite a surprising early exit at the Indonesia Open, the world No. 14 has enjoyed a consistent season with several quarterfinal finishes.

The spotlight will also be on Ayush Shetty , who faces a stern challenge against Thailand's second seed and former world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn . The 20-year-old has emerged as one of India's brightest talents after winning the US Open Super 300 last year and finishing runner-up at this season's Badminton Asia Championships.

In women's singles, two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu takes on Malaysia's Wong Ling Ching as she searches for her first title since the 2024 Syed Modi International. Teenager Unnati Hooda will meet Chinese Taipei's Huang Yu-Hsun and will look to convert her potential into success at the highest level after winning the Polish Open earlier this year.

India will also have representation in the doubles events through Hariharan Amsakarunan and M R Arjun , while mixed doubles pairs Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto and Rohan Kapoor-Ruthvika Shivani Gadde will aim to make an impact at one of the biggest tournaments on the BWF World Tour.

With Satwik and Chirag returning refreshed, and a blend of experienced stars and emerging youngsters in the squad, India will hope to make a significant statement in Tokyo.