India Open Super 750: Focus on consistent Satwik-Chirag as hosts field largest-ever contingent

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty lead India's largest-ever contingent at the India Open Super 750 badminton tournament.

Spotlight will be firmly on the consistent Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty as they lead the host nation's largest-ever contingent at the star-studded India Open Super 750, beginning in New Delhi on Tuesday (January 14, 2025).

The former world No. 1 men’s doubles pair, the 2022 Indian Open champions, has made a good start to the 2025 season, reaching the semifinals at the Malaysia Super 1000 last week.

Despite the disappointment at the Paris Olympics, the duo has emerged as India’s most reliable performers over the last two years, regularly advancing deep into draws, and there will not be any exception in the USD 950,000 event.

Satwik and Chirag, semifinalists at the 2024 China Masters, will face Malaysia’s Wei Chong Man and Kai Wun Tee in their opening round.

While the Indians have shown impressive form, they will be seeking improvement in quick rallies and service variations in a bid to better their runners-up position in the tournament last year.

However, the Indian pair will face stiff competition from top names such as China’s Olympic silver medallists Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang, Paris bronze medallists Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia, Denmark’s Kim Astrup and Anders Rasmussen, and Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto.

This year’s tournament sees an impressive 21 Indian entries, with two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu back in action after missing the season-opener in Kuala Lumpur due to her wedding.