Japan Open: All eyes on struggling PV Sindhu and in-form Satwik-Chirag Loktej Sports News

New Delhi, 25 July (Hindustan Times). Star Indian shuttler PV Sindhu will look to regain her form at the Japan Open starting today, while the men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will be eyeing another title after the Korea Open. The Japan Open is scheduled to be held from July 25 to July 30.

Satwik and Chirag, who are currently ranked number three in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings, clinched the Korean Open title on Saturday after defeating top-ranked Indonesian pair of Fajar Alfiyan and Muhammad Riyan Ardianto in the final.

This was Satwik-Chirag’s third BWF title win this year after Swiss Open and Indonesia Open. He is also the current Asian Badminton Champion and is undefeated in his last 10 BWF World Tour matches. PV Sindhu, on the other hand, will look to find her rhythm in this BWF Super 750 tournament. Sindhu has had a poor season, with first round exits in six of her 12 BWF tournaments.

Sindhu’s dismal performance saw her slip to 17th in the world rankings, her worst performance in a decade. She was without a coach since February and last week named Muhammad Hafiz Hashim of Malaysia as her personal coach till the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The results of the Japan Open will count towards a player’s qualifying ranking for the multi-sport event in Paris. The qualification window for badminton started on May 1 this year.

The men’s singles event will feature eighth seed HS Prannoy and former world number Kidambi Srikanth and Lakshya Sen. Young Orleans Masters champion Priyanshu Rajawat will also represent the tricolor at the event. India’s top women’s pair Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly will also take part in the Tokyo event.