PV Sindhu Exits Early at Japan Open 2025, Lakshya Sen and Satwik-Chirag Advance

PV Sindhu's Early Exit

India's renowned badminton player, PV Sindhu, faced a challenging match at the Japan Open 2025 Super 750 tournament, resulting in her elimination in the first round. The two-time Olympic medalist was defeated in straight sets by South Korea's Sim Yu Jin, making it difficult for her to recover.

At 30 years old, Sindhu struggled to find her rhythm and made several miscalculations, particularly in judging the distance of her opponent's shots. She lost the match with scores of 15-21, 14-21, which lasted just over 30 minutes. Although there were some extended rallies in the first game, Sim remained composed and secured her first victory against the Indian star. In the second game, Sindhu attempted a brief comeback from 1-6 to level at 11-all, but Sim accelerated to finish the match decisively.

Lakshya Sen Shines With Convincing Victory

Despite Sindhu's disappointing exit, Lakshya Sen brought some optimism for India on the opening day. The world No. 18 showcased an impressive performance against China's Wang Zheng Xing, winning 21-11, 21-18 to advance to the round of 16. Sen dominated the first game, quickly establishing an 11-2 lead before closing it out efficiently. Although Wang put up a stronger fight in the second game, Lakshya maintained his composure under pressure to secure the win in straight sets.

Satwik-Chirag Begin Strongly In Men's Doubles

In the men's doubles category, the 15th-ranked duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty triumphed over Korea's Kang Min Hyuk and Kim Dong Ju. The Indian pair took some time to find their footing but ultimately took control, winning the match in 42 minutes with scores of 21-18, 21-10.

After a tightly contested first game, Satwik and Chirag elevated their game with aggressive net play and sharp attacking strokes, particularly in the second game where they dominated. The former world No. 1 pair is now on a quest to secure their first title of the season.

Eyes Now On Lakshya And Satwik-Chirag Duo

With Sindhu's exit, India's hopes now rest on the young talent of Lakshya Sen and the experienced Satwik-Chirag duo to lead the charge at the Japan Open. Both players are eager to build on their strong starts and gain momentum as the tournament progresses.