India’s campaign at the Japan Open 2025 began with mixed fortunes as two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu suffered yet another first-round defeat, while Lakshya Sen and the men’s doubles team of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty secured convincing wins.
Sindhu, currently navigating a challenging season, went down 15-21, 14-21 to Korea’s Sim Yu Jin. Despite flashes of resistance, Sindhu’s rustiness and error-prone performance saw her fall behind quickly in both games. This marks her fifth opening-round exit this year, raising concerns over her competitive rhythm.
In brighter news, Lakshya Sen displayed commendable form as he comfortably defeated China’s Wang Zheng Xing 21-11, 21-18. The world No. 18 dominated the first game with an 11-2 lead and maintained composure in the second to wrap up the match in straight sets. He now prepares to face the seventh seed and local favourite Kodai Naraoka in the round of 16.
Meanwhile, the dynamic duo of Satwik-Chirag—ranked 15th globally—overpowered Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk and Kim Dong Ju 21-18, 21-10 in just 42 minutes. After a closely contested start, the Indians found their rhythm and cruised through the second game with precision and flair.
As the tournament progresses, hopes remain high for Lakshya and Satwik-Chirag to continue their winning momentum, even as Sindhu’s early exit highlights the unpredictability of form in the high-pressure Super 750 circuit.
