China Open: Satwik-Chirag aim for resurgence before World C'ships

India’s premier badminton men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are set to headline the country’s challenge at the China Open Super 1000 badminton tournament, beginning Tuesday.

The tournament serves as the final major event before the much-anticipated BWF World Championships in Paris from August 25 to 31.

Currently placed 15th in the world rankings, Satwik and Chirag have had a mixed season so far.

They kicked off 2025 with semi-final finishes at both the Malaysia Open and India Open in January, but injuries stalled their rhythm . Satwik’s health issues and Chirag’s back problem forced them to sit out for several weeks.

Since their return, they’ve shown glimpses of their top form by reaching the semi-finals at the Singapore Open and the quarter-finals in Indonesia.

However, a recent defeat at the Japan Open against Olympic silver medallists Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang exposed areas needing improvement.

Now, the Indian duo is keen to find their rhythm again as they open their China Open campaign against Japan’s Kenya Mitsuhashi and Hiroki Okamura.

Singles stars eye comebacks

In men’s singles, Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, and PV Sindhu will also be looking to rediscover form ahead of the World Championships.

Lakshya, ranked No. 18, has struggled with injuries throughout the season, including shoulder, ankle, and back niggles.

Despite a gritty three-game battle against world No.3 Shi Yuqi in Indonesia, his overall results have been underwhelming, with just a quarterfinal appearance at the All England to show. He begins his campaign in Changzhou against China’s fifth seed Li Shi Feng.

Veteran shuttler HS Prannoy, a bronze medallist at both the World Championships and Asian Games, has slipped to No. 35 in the world rankings.

After skipping the Japan Open, he returns to action facing Japan’s Koki Watanabe in the opening round.

PV Sindhu, too, is in search of consistency. The two-time Olympic medallist and former world champion has endured a rough 2025 season, with her best result being a quarterfinal finish at the India Open.

Now ranked 16th, Sindhu’s preparation under Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama has yet to yield the desired results. Her first-round opponent is sixth seed Tomoka Miyazaki of Japan, an 18-year-old former junior world champion.

Young talents and doubles line-up

In the women’s singles draw, rising star Unnati Hooda, who impressed with a semifinal run at the Taipei Open, will meet Scotland’s experienced Kirsty Gilmour in the opening round.

Anupama Upadhyaya is also in action, up against Lin Hsiang Ti of Chinese Taipei.

India will also be represented in the women’s doubles by the pair of Kavipriya Selvam-Simran Singhi, the Panda sisters – Rutaparna and Swetaparna – and the duo of Amrutha Pramuthesh and Sonali Singh.

In mixed doubles, Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde as well as Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh will look to make their mark at the USD 2 million event.