Satwik-Chirag Return to Lead India's Challenge at Japan Open Super 750
India's top badminton stars will return to action this week as the Japan Open 2026 Super 750 gets underway at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium from July 14.
With a prize pool of USD 950,000, the prestigious tournament is one of the key events on the BWF World Tour and carries significant ranking points ahead of the BWF World Championships in New Delhi next month and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games later this year.
Leading India's challenge will be the men's doubles pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who return to competition after nearly a month on the sidelines. Joining them are two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, men's singles star Lakshya Sen, rising youngster Ayush Shetty, and teenage sensation Unnati Hooda, giving India representation across four disciplines.
Despite producing several memorable performances over the years, India is yet to win a Japan Open title, making this another opportunity to create history at one of badminton's oldest and most prestigious tournaments.
The biggest talking point for India is the return of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty. The world No. 4 pair have not competed since the Indonesia Open in June, where Satwik aggravated a recurring shoulder injury during their opening-round match. The injury forced them to miss four consecutive tournaments, including the Australian Open, Macau Open, US Open and Canada Open.
Now fully fit, the Asian Games champions will be eager to regain momentum. The timing of their return is significant.
Just before Satwik's injury setback, the pair had ended a two-year title drought by lifting the Singapore Open Super 750 crown in May. That victory reaffirmed their status among the world's elite doubles combinations and provided a major confidence boost heading into the second half of the season.
Seeded third in Tokyo, Satwik and Chirag will open their campaign against Denmark's Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard, a match they will be expected to win if they are to mount a serious title challenge.
India's hopes in men's singles once again rest on Lakshya Sen. The world No. 14 has enjoyed another consistent season, reaching multiple quarter-finals and finishing runner-up at the All England Championships earlier this year. However, his early exit at the Indonesia Open interrupted that momentum.
Lakshya begins his Japan Open campaign against Japan's Koki Watanabe, a challenging first-round opponent backed by home support.
A deep run in Tokyo would provide an ideal platform before the World Championships, where Lakshya will once again be among India's leading medal hopes.
Youngster Ayush Shetty continues his rapid rise on the international circuit. The 20-year-old has established himself as one of India's brightest prospects after winning the US Open Super 300 last year and finishing runner-up at this season's Badminton Asia Championships.
His reward, however, is a daunting first-round draw. Ayush will face Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn, the second seed and former world champion.
Although the matchup is difficult, victories over elite players are exactly the type of challenge required for the youngster's continued development.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu returns after reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open, where she lost to Japan's Akane Yamaguchi. While Sindhu has consistently progressed into the latter stages of tournaments this season, she is still searching for her first title since winning the Syed Modi International in 2024. She begins her campaign against Malaysia's Wong Ling Ching, a match that presents a favourable opportunity to build confidence early in the tournament.
If Sindhu can find her best form in Tokyo, she could emerge as one of the dark horses for the title in a highly competitive women's singles field.
Teenage star Unnati Hooda also features in the women's singles draw. The talented youngster faces Huang Yu-Hsun of Chinese Taipei in the opening round.
Although Unnati has struggled to make deep runs at Super 750 events, she has shown encouraging signs this season, including winning the Polish Open. Tokyo offers another valuable opportunity for one of India's most promising young players to gain experience against higher-ranked opponents.
Beyond Satwik and Chirag, India has another strong men's doubles combination in Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun. The pair, who were part of India's bronze medal-winning Thomas Cup squad earlier this year, begin against Chinese Taipei's Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan. In mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto open against Scotland's Alexander Dunn and Julie Macpherson, while Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde face the tournament's top seeds, Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping of China, in one of the toughest opening-round assignments.
India will not have any representation in women's doubles after Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand withdrew before the tournament.
World-Class Competition Awaits
The Japan Open has once again attracted an elite field. Men's singles features world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi, Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn, Denmark's Anders Antonsen, and Japan's Kodai Naraoka. The women's singles competition is equally competitive, with defending champion An Se Young, China's Wang Zhi Yi and Chen Yu Fei, alongside four-time Japan Open champion Akane Yamaguchi, all in contention.
With the World Championships just weeks away, many of the sport's biggest stars will be looking to fine-tune their form in Tokyo.
The Japan Open represents more than just another Super 750 tournament. It serves as a key preparation event before two of the biggest competitions of the year the BWF World Championships and the Asian Games. For Satwik and Chirag, the focus will be on making a strong return after injury. Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu will aim to build momentum ahead of the World Championships, while youngsters Ayush Shetty and Unnati Hooda continue their development against world-class opposition.
With a balanced squad featuring established stars and emerging talent, India heads to Tokyo hoping to end its long wait for a maiden Japan Open title and carry valuable momentum into the most important stretch of the 2026 badminton season.
Where to Watch: Fans in India can watch the Japan Open 2026 live on the Star Sports Network, while live streaming will be available on the BWF TV YouTube channel.
Japan Open 2026: India badminton squad
Men’s singles: Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty
Men’s doubles: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty, MR Arjun-Hariharan Amsakarunan
Women’s singles: PV Sindhu, Unnati Hooda
Women’s doubles: NA
Mixed doubles: Rohan Kapoor-Ruthvika Shivani Gadde, Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto
Comments (0)
to post comments, replies, and votes.
Loading comments…
