As the Japan Open 2025 Super 750 kicks off on Tuesday, July 15, the stage is set in Tokyo for India’s top stars to challenge history, chase form, and, perhaps, finally break the jinx.
India’s Big Three: Searching for Spark, Chasing Redemption
Satwik-Chirag, PV Sindhu, and Lakshya Sen once almost guaranteed medal hopes enter Tokyo under pressure, carrying not just their own ambitions but India’s collective Olympic aspirations.
No Indian has ever lifted the Japan Open title.
Satwik-Chirag: Consistent but title-less
The world No. 15 pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have shown flashes of brilliance in 2025:
- Semifinals at the Malaysia Open and India Open in January.
- Semifinals at the Singapore Open in June.
- Quarterfinals at the Indonesia Open.
Their season, however, was interrupted by Satwik’s health issues and Chirag’s lingering back injury, keeping them out for crucial weeks. Now fit, the duo are aiming to turn semifinal consistency into something bigger.
They open against Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk and Ki Dong Ju, and beyond that, the draw offers both opportunity and danger. With less than a year to the Paris Olympics, the countdown feels real and a title here could redefine their season.
PV Sindhu: Seeking rhythm after setbacks
For PV Sindhu, the 2025 season has been a test of patience and resilience. Turning 30 this month, the double Olympic medallist is still India’s biggest name in women’s badminton but has faced:
- Four first-round exits.
- Three second-round exits.
- A solitary quarterfinal, back in January at the India Open.
Sindhu’s struggles trace back to a hamstring injury and the long road to recovery. Under the guidance of Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama, she has focused on rebuilding confidence and movement.
She begins her campaign against Korea’s Sim Yu Jin, against whom she holds a perfect 3-0 head-to-head. A win would likely pit her against Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, a two-time world champion and the third seed.
Japan has been a stage of heartbreak and triumph for Sindhu: it’s where she won her Olympic bronze in Tokyo 2021, but it’s also a venue where deep runs have often eluded her. Now, the question is whether she can channel her pedigree into momentum.
Lakshya Sen: Searching for that breakthrough
Lakshya Sen, now ranked 18th, started the season with promise but has struggled for rhythm:
- Multiple first-round exits.
- Best performance: quarterfinal at the All England.
- Forced retirement at the Singapore Open due to a back injury.
Yet, in his last match a narrow three-game loss to world No. 3 Shi Yu Qi in Indonesia Lakshya showed glimpses of his best. The speed, angles, and fearless play that took him to World Championships bronze in 2021 still remain.
He opens against China’s Wang Zheng Xing. If he can build early momentum, Tokyo might just become the platform for a mid-season revival.
Depth Beyond the Big Three: Youthful energy and new faces
This year’s India squad at the Japan Open isn’t only about the stars; it carries fresh promise and new stories.
Women’s singles:
- Unnati Hooda, who reached the semifinals at the Taipei Open earlier this year, faces Thailand’s seventh seed Pornpawee Chochuwong.
- Anupama Upadhyay and Rakshitha Ramraj face each other in an all-Indian first round.
Men’s doubles:
- Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi will test themselves against Korea’s third seeds Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae.
Women’s doubles:
- The Panda sisters Rutaparna and Swetaparna continue to gather experience on the World Tour.
- Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi also compete in the main draw.
While they may not be immediate title contenders, these young players are part of India’s long-term vision, gaining crucial exposure against the world’s best.
Tokyo Calling: Stakes higher than ever
The Japan Open 2025 carries significance that goes beyond ranking points or prize money:
- It’s a Super 750 event crucial in the Olympic qualification cycle.
- It’s played in Tokyo, the city that hosted the Olympic Games in 2021
- It arrives at a point in the season when India’s top shuttlers are hunting for form and momentum.
For Satwik-Chirag, a title could quiet questions and reassert their credentials as medal favourites.
For PV Sindhu, a deep run could reignite confidence before Paris.
For Lakshya Sen, even a semifinal could restore belief in his ability to beat the very best.
A look at history: Why the Japan Open is so elusive
Despite India’s rich badminton tradition, the Japan Open has remained stubbornly out of reach:
- No Indian has ever entered the final in either the Super Series (2007–2017) or World Tour (2018–present) era.
- Only four semifinal appearances in total since 2007:
- Saina Nehwal (2011)
- Sikki Reddy / Pranaav Jerry Chopra (2017)
- Sai Praneeth (2019)
- Lakshya Sen (2023)
This data starkly highlights the challenge and the opportunity for India’s current stars to create history.
Full India Squad Japan Open 2025
Men’s Singles:
- Lakshya Sen
Women’s Singles:
- PV Sindhu
- Unnati Hooda
- Anupama Upadhyay
- Rakshitha Ramraj
Men’s Doubles:
- Satwiksairaj Rankireddy / Chirag Shetty
- Hariharan Amsakarunan / Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi
Women’s Doubles:
- Kavipriya Selvam / Simran Singhi
- Rutaparna Panda / Swetaparna Panda
What to Watch
- Can Satwik-Chirag’s consistency finally translate into a title run?
- Will PV Sindhu’s experience overcome recent form struggles?
- Can Lakshya Sen find the spark that made him India’s brightest young hope?
- And among the next generation, can players like Unnati Hooda pull off an upset?
Time to rewrite history
For India’s Big Three, it’s about redemption, statement wins, and rewriting a record book that still lists “no finalist” under Indian names.
Focused. Fierce. Fearless.
Tokyo awaits. And maybe, just maybe, this could finally be the year an Indian shuttler breaks through to the Japan Open final or beyond.
