India’s campaign at the Japan Open 2025 badminton tournament came to a premature end on Thursday as top Indian shuttlers Lakshya Sen, the men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, and Anupama Upadhyaya bowed out in the pre-quarterfinals.
Lakshya Sen Falls to Kodai Naraoka (Again)
Olympic semi-finalist Lakshya Sen, currently ranked 18th, was knocked out by local favourite and world No. 8 Kodai Naraoka in straight games 21-19, 21-11.
Despite a close opening game, Lakshya couldn’t match the tempo in the second, with the match wrapping up in under an hour. This marks Sen’s fifth loss in seven encounters against the Japanese star.
Satwik-Chirag Outclassed by Chinese Duo
India’s top men’s doubles team of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, seeded 15th, lost a tight match to Paris 2024 silver medallists Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang of China with a scoreline of 24-22, 21-14.
After narrowly missing the first game, the Indian pair struggled in the second. It was their fourth consecutive loss to the world No. 5 Chinese duo. This was Satwik-Chirag’s first tournament since last month’s Indonesia Open.
Anupama Upadhyaya Exits Against World No. 2
India’s final hope in the singles draw, Anupama Upadhyaya, gave a spirited effort but couldn’t overcome world No. 2 Wang Zhiyi of China.
Anupama went down 13-21, 21-11, 21-12 to the reigning Asian champion in a hard-fought match that highlighted the gap in experience and consistency.
Sindhu, Others Exit Early
Notably, PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, and other Indian participants had failed to progress beyond the first round, adding to a forgettable outing for India at the BWF Super 750 event.
Next Stop: China Open Super 1000
The Indian badminton contingent will now shift focus to the China Open Super 1000, set to begin next Tuesday, where they will look to bounce back stronger.