Singapore Open: Satwik-Chirag return as Sindhu leads wounded pack

New Delhi, May 26 (IANS) The spotlight returns to Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty as the celebrated men's doubles pair spearhead India's campaign at the Singapore Open Super 750, beginning Tuesday.

The tournament marks their much-anticipated comeback to elite badminton after nearly two months away due to injury concerns — Chirag’s back trouble and Satwik’s health issues had kept them out since the All England Championships in March and forced a Sudirman Cup withdrawal.

Now fully fit, the world No. 3 pair — former world No. 1 — will begin their campaign against Malaysia’s Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad Haikal. The duo had made strong starts to the year, reaching the semifinals at both the Malaysia Open and India Open, and they’ll now be eager to rediscover their rhythm and reassert their Olympic credentials.

While Satwik-Chirag’s return is a major boost, the men’s singles field carries a more uncertain tone. Kidambi Srikanth, fresh from a memorable runner-up finish at the Malaysia Masters, is skipping this leg of the tour. That leaves the onus on HS Prannoy, who has been grinding his way back to full form after his prolonged battle with chikungunya.

Prannoy, 32, opens against Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke. Despite flashes of grit — particularly his first-round win over Kenta Nishimoto in Malaysia — Prannoy has struggled for consistency since returning to the circuit.

Lakshya Sen, still finding his footing after his historic Paris Olympics semifinal run, will be under scrutiny when he faces Lin Chun-Yi. With four first-round exits this season, Sen has appeared far from his best — both mentally and physically.

It’s a similar story for Priyanshu Rajawat and Kiran George, both in their early 20s, who have been unable to convert promise into performance. George opens against China’s Weng Hong Yang.

On the women’s side, PV Sindhu continues to fight a battle of transition and self-renewal. The two-time Olympic medallist and former World Champion has endured a rough 2025, having missed the Asia Team Championships due to a hamstring injury in February. Since her return, she’s suffered early-round exits, including against lesser-ranked players such as Thuy Linh Nguyen and Putri Kusuma Wardani.

Sindhu opens against Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang — a must-win to shake off growing doubts around her fitness. With multiple coaching changes and a lack of consistency, this leg of the tour could prove pivotal for Sindhu's ongoing season.

The draw hasn’t been kind to India’s other women’s singles players either. Anmol Kharb, one of the bright sparks of India’s youth brigade, takes on Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei, while Aakarshi Kashyap faces third seed Han Yue. Malvika Bansod squares off against Supanida Katethong, and Rakshita Ramraj has a tough outing lined up against Kim Ga Eun.

The women’s contingent also features Anupama Upadhyaya (vs Sung Shuo Yun) and Unnati Hooda, who faces second seed and Malaysia Masters winner Wang Zhiyi — an uphill task for the 17-year-old.

In doubles, India’s eighth-seeded pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand aim to go deep after recent top-ten breakthroughs. They open against Chang Ching Hui and Yang Ching Tun of Chinese Taipei. India also has two pairs in mixed doubles: Dhruv Kapila/Tanisha Crasto and Rohan Kapoor/Ruthvika Shivani Gadde, both capable of springing a surprise on their day.

--IANS

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