As the Australian Open Super 500 gets underway in Sydney, the narrative around Indian badminton remains familiar, singles unpredictability balanced by the steady brilliance of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.
Once again, the Indian men’s doubles pair will shoulder India’s biggest hopes as they chase their first title of the 2025 season. Satwik and Chirag have been the standout performers in what has otherwise been a turbulent year for Indian badminton. Their campaign has featured high peaks a second World Championships bronze and consecutive finals appearances at the Hong Kong Super 500 and China Masters Super 750 but consistency in finishing the job has eluded them.
The duo spent 18 weeks at world No. 1 before injuries and scheduling dips pushed them down to No. 27 in May. Their revival to No. 3 reflects resilience, hard work, and their continued stature as one of the world’s elite pairings.
In Sydney, the top seeds open against Chinese Taipei’s Chang Ko-Chi and Po Li-Wei, a steady but beatable combination. For Satwik and Chirag, the objective is clear: build momentum and peak in time for the season-ending World Tour Finals.
India’s singles contingent has endured a tough season defined by injuries, dips in form, and scattered flashes of excellence. The Australian Open presents an opportunity to stabilise before the final stretch of the season.
Lakshya Sen appears closest to rediscovering his rhythm. The Almora shuttler, coming off a difficult spell after his narrow miss at the Paris Olympics, reached the final at the Hong Kong Open and followed it with a semifinal in Japan last week. Seeded seventh in Sydney, he meets Chinese Taipei’s Su Li Yang in the opener a match that should test his confidence and endurance as he attempts to string together another deep run.
For HS Prannoy, the challenge is slightly different. The 2023 World Championships bronze medallist and last year’s Australian Open runner-up has only recently returned from injury. His outing in Kumamoto brought mixed results: a promising win over Jun Hao Leong followed by a defeat to Rasmus Gemke. At 33, Prannoy’s experience remains his biggest weapon, and he begins this campaign against Canada’s Brian Yang. A strong start could go a long way in restoring full rhythm.
Kidambi Srikanth, runner-up at the Malaysia Masters earlier this year, faces a stern test in fifth seed Lin Chun-Yi. Youngster Ayush Shetty, the US Open champion, takes on Malaysia’s Justin Hoh in what promises to be a high-energy battle. Kiran George will face Japan Masters runner-up Kenta Nishimoto, while Tharun Mannepalli meets Denmark’s Magnus Johannesen as he hunts for a breakthrough at this level.
Women’s Singles and Doubles: Tough Openers, Important Returns
Aakarshi Kashyap enters the women’s singles draw as India’s sole representative and faces a daunting challenge in the opening round against Olympic champion and top seed An Se Young. For Kashyap, the match is as much about exposure at the highest level as it is about pushing a dominant opponent as far as possible. In women’s doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand reunite on court after Gayatri’s extended injury break.
Their first-round match against fourth seeds Yan Fei Chen and Liang Ching Sun of Chinese Taipei will be a measure of how quickly they can rediscover their rhythm as a pair. Their return is significant for India’s long-term doubles plans, especially with Olympic and World Championship cycles ahead.
Mixed doubles will see Mohit Jaglan and Lakshita Jaglan opening against Canada’s Nyl Yakura and Crystal Lai a competitive but navigable matchup for the Indian duo.
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The Australian Open arrives at a crucial point in the season for India. The expectations around Satwik and Chirag are well-founded they remain India’s best bet for a title and a deep run. But equally important are the performances of Lakshya, Prannoy, and the returning Treesa–Gayatri pair. As the season winds toward its conclusion, consistency, match fitness, and confidence will matter more than ever.
If the singles shuttlers can convert promise into results, and if Satwik–Chirag can add another highlight to an already decorated year, the Sydney leg could yet become a turning point for Indian badminton in 2025.
