The opening rounds of the YONEX US Open 2025 have delivered a compelling mix of shocking upsets, brave fights, and spirited victories.
As the event kicks into gear, Indian players have already made their mark across multiple matches especially in the men’s and women’s doubles categories.
Top Seeds Exit in Early Shock
The most stunning result came in the men’s doubles draw. The top-seeded Taiwanese pair of Lee Fang Jen and Lee Fang Chih suffered a surprise defeat in the very first round. The formidable duo fell to fellow Chinese Taipei players Chang Ko-Chi and Po Li-Wei in a high-octane three-game battle:
- Chang/Po def. Lee/Lee: 6-21, 21-18, 21-15
Heartbreak for Dingku and Amaan
One of the most gripping encounters featured the Indian men’s doubles pair Dingku Singh Konthoujam and Amaan Mohammad, who faced the Taiwanese team of Chen Cheng Kuan and Lin Bing Wei. The Indians were off to a flying start, dominating the first game. But their opponents rallied back, and the Indians narrowly lost the decider in a nail-biting finish:
- Chen/Lin def. Dingku/Amaan: 10-21, 21-13, 22-20
Despite a valiant effort, the Indian pair were denied a spot in the Round of 16. The narrow loss stings more given that they held match point before letting it slip. Still, their effort showed they can hold their own against strong international pairs.
Shruti and Priya Power Through to R16
Providing a much-needed boost to the Indian campaign, the women’s doubles team of Shruti and Priya cruised through their opening round with a straight-games win over the American pair Li and Cruz:
- Shruti/Priya def. Li/Cruz: 21-15, 21-17
With confidence high, they now gear up for a Round of 16 clash against Americans Lauren Lam and Allison Lee. This win shows the promise of this relatively young pairing and offers hope for a deeper run.
Hariharan and Ruban Bounce Back for Victory
In men’s doubles, the third-seeded Indian pair Hariharan and Ruban faced a bit of turbulence but ultimately got the job done. After taking the opening game easily, they were pushed into a decider by the German duo Bourakkadi and Neumann. Showing class and composure, they closed out the third convincingly:
- Hariharan/Ruban def. Bourakkadi/Neumann: 21-10, 18-21, 21-10
They now await the winners of the clash between Hutomo/Widjaja (Indonesia) and Lai/Yakura (Canada) in the Round of 16.
Qualifying Setback for Arjun Reddy and Gouse Shaik
In the qualifying rounds, Indian duo Arjun Reddy Pochana and Gouse Shaik were one step away from the main draw. Unfortunately, they couldn’t hold on after taking the first game and were defeated by Mohd Razif Abdul Latif (Malaysia) and Ansen Liu (USA):
- Razif/Liu def. Arjun/Gouse: 17-21, 21-14, 21-19
Despite the loss, it was a promising performance and a reminder that India’s doubles depth is expanding at the international level.
Mohanty and Pattanayak Bow Out
In another R32 men’s doubles match, the Indian pair Abinash Mohanty and Ayush Pattanayak faced a tough challenge against the American pairing of Zhi Yi Chen and Presley Smith. The Americans controlled the match from start to finish and eased through:
- Chen/Smith def. Mohanty/Pattanayak: 21-12, 21-13
With this result, the Indian pair exited in the first round.
Indian Participation at the US Open 2025
In terms of player participation, India had a solid representation at the tournament’s Round of 32 stage. The country fielded 18 players across categories, including 3 men’s doubles teams, 1 women’s doubles team, 2 mixed doubles pairs, and 6 each in men’s and women’s singles. This strong presence was second only to Chinese Taipei’s 44 entries.
Summary of Indian Results
- The Shruti/Priya pair won their women’s doubles R32 match, beating Americans Li/Cruz in straight games and moving into the R16.
- Hariharan/Ruban, seeded third in men’s doubles, overcame Germany’s Bourakkadi/Neumann in three games to reach the Round of 16.
- Dingku Singh and Amaan Mohammad lost a heartbreakingly close three-game match, even after holding match point.
- Abinash Mohanty and Ayush Pattanayak were outplayed in straight games by the American team of Chen and Smith.
- Arjun Reddy and Gouse Shaik narrowly lost in the qualifying final round after winning the first game.
As the YONEX US Open 2025 progresses, Indian fans will be closely watching the campaigns of Shruti/Priya and Hariharan/Ruban, both of whom are through to the Round of 16. Their continued progress could turn this into a successful tournament for India. While some pairs suffered close defeats, the level of fight and competitiveness shown bodes well for the future of Indian badminton’s doubles circuit.
Let’s see how far they can go as the week unfolds.
