India Open: Can Lakshya Sen and Satwik-Chirag replicate their 2022 feats?

The 2025 BWF World Tour caravan enters its second week, and this is the time of year when the Indian capital, New Delhi, comes alive with badminton action as the India Open Super 750, a marquee event on the calendar, gets underway on Tuesday.

Hopes will be high for the Indian shuttlers to turn their fortunes around this year. Last year, no Indian player managed to clinch the crown at home. The men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty came the closest but fell short in the final against Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae.

The last time Indians triumphed at the event was in 2022, when the nation celebrated two titles with Lakshya Sen capturing the men’s singles crown, while Satwik-Chirag claimed the men’s doubles crown.

Onus on Satwik-Chirag

This year, too, India will pin its hopes on its most celebrated doubles pairing, Satwik and Chirag, to win a title.

They began their campaign in the new season with a semi-final appearance at the Malaysia Open Super 1000. Reaching the semi-finals or finals of a Super 1000 event is an achievement to be celebrated for any shuttler.

No other Indian shuttler has come close to the consistency that the duo has displayed in recent times. Satwik-Chirag have succeeded in their renewed focus on advancing deep into tournaments. However, their struggle to overcome the semi-final hurdle has become increasingly evident.

It has been quite some time since they last won a title. Their most recent triumph came in May last year when they secured a podium finish by winning the Thailand Open Super 500.

The heartbreak of their quarterfinal exit from the Olympics still lingers in their minds, with Satwik openly expressing his emotions about the disappointment. It was an unexpected outcome that neither the pair nor their fans had anticipated.

At the start of 2024, they were among the favourites for the Olympic gold medal, thanks to their remarkable consistency on the World Tour. As reigning French Open Super 750 champions, they seemed unstoppable.

Seeded third, they were India’s best hope to continue the country’s badminton medal streak at the Olympics. However, injuries to Satwik just before the Games took a toll on the pair and their medal prospects.

In just five months, having been French Open champions in March, their form faltered. When they finally competed in August, their campaign unravelled against familiar but formidable opponents, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik.

A clear pattern emerged in their defeats against Aaron and Soh, as well as in the semi-finals of the China Masters last year and the Malaysia Open this year. Their opponents consistently denied the Indians any lifts, maintaining a flat, fast, and relentless pace that left the Indians uncomfortable and struggling to respond.

For Satwik and Chirag, both standing above six feet, their height advantage has made them naturally aggressive, allowing them to unleash relentless smashes and rattle opponents with a barrage of offensive shots. This style of play, characterized by its intensity, is both captivating and thrilling for fans, often leaving their opponents overwhelmed.

Recently, however, their opponents seem to have found a way to counter their aggressive play by drawing them closer to the net and engaging in a diagonal, flat game. For the two tall Indians, maintaining a low posture at the net throughout the match has proven challenging.

In the quarterfinals of the Malaysia Open, Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi employed a proven tactic – keeping the shuttle low and fast, forcing the Indians to kneel often and play wide or into the net. This strategy was similar to the one used by their Olympic medal-winning compatriots, Aaron and Soh.

However, Ong and Teo, ranked World No. 24, lacked the composure of Aaron and Soh and eventually succumbed to the Indians in a thrilling three-game match.

In the semi-final, however, Seo Seung Jae, now playing with a new partner, Kim Won-ho, proved to be a tricky opponent for the Indians.

Seo, an old rival of Satwik and Chirag, dazzled them with his variety of strokes and once again denied the Indians any opportunities to unleash their signature smash.

The Indians, overwhelmed by Seo’s flat strokes that changed angles at his whim and came at a rapid pace, appeared completely outfoxed. They lost the match 10-21, 15-21 in just 40 minutes, with their defence appearing porous throughout the game.

Last year in the India Open final, it was Seo again who got the better of the Indians in the final playing with Kang Min Hyuk in the final.

Such a result could dent the confidence of any player. However, it is important to note that Satwik and Chirag were making their comeback to the World Tour after a break, and they have just shaken off the rust with their semi-final appearance.

Last year, we saw them start the season with two consecutive final losses before emerging as champions in their third World Tour event - the French Open.

With their former coach Tan Kim Her back by their side, Satwik and Chirag, now a battle-hardened pair, are unlikely to be shaken by such a defeat. They will look to regroup and reclaim their esteemed position. The India Open on home soil may provide a strong start in that quest.

Can Lakshya find his best?

As for Lakshya, the Indian hope in men's singles, the India Open will provide him a good opportunity to reorganise himself. Recently, he has become somewhat inconsistent and impulsive.

While he is capable of challenging the best in the world, as seen in the Olympics when he defeated higher-seeded Jonatan Christie, his losses to lesser-known players, such as his defeat to Chi Yu-jen in the first round of the Malaysia Open, remain a significant challenge.

Back in 2022, when he won the India Open, Lakshya perhaps lived the best phase of his career. He was the toast of the nation that year, having also won the Thomas Cup, a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and reached the final at the prestigious All England Open to go with his World Championships bronze from the year before. 

For Lakshya, who won the Syed Modi India International in December, the challenges since then have been both physical and mental. A nose surgery to correct a deviated septum in 2022 led to a long recovery, during which he became prone to injuries and stomach issues.

Since then, he has struggled to replicate the success of the most outstanding year in his career.

While a fourth-place finish at the Olympics remains the highlight of his career since the high of 2022, Lakshya faces a tough task at the India Open this year, with top stars like Viktor Axelsen and Shi Yuqi vying for the title.

Nevertheless, the challenge of competing against such elite players, along with the opportunity to break his title drought, should provide Lakshya with ample motivation.