Satwik-Chirag duo returns to spearhead India’s charge at Singapore Open

SINGAPORE: The celebrated pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will make a much-anticipated return to elite competition after shaking off fitness concerns when the duo leads a star-studded Indian challenge at the Singapore Open Super 750 tournament starting on Tuesday.

The former world number one duo last played at the All England Championships in March but withdrew in the second round due to Chirag's back injury. They also pulled out of the Sudirman Cup because of Satwik's health issues.

Now fully fit, the Indian team, which reached the semi-final of Malaysia Open and India Open earlier this year, will open against Malaysia's Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad Haikal.

By reaching the finals of last week's Malaysia Masters, Kidambi Srikanth managed to lift himself and the overall gloom that had set over Indian badminton in the past few months.

He broke the pattern of India's singles players largely failing to make a deep run in the tournaments week after week for the past few months. Though he won't be competing this week, he will serve as an inspiration for his compatriots as they fight it out at the event.

HS Prannoy, a 2023 World Championships bronze-medallist who witnessed the rampaging run of Srikanth at Kuala Lumpur, will look to produce a similarly gritty show when he begins his campaign against Denmark's Rasmus Gemke. Pranniy is on a comeback trail after battling chikungunya last year.

Lakshya Sen will look to silence doubts about his fitness when he faces Lin Chun-Yi in the opening round.

The 23-year-old from Almora, a 2021 World Championships bronze-medallist, has struggled to find form since reaching the Paris Olympics semi-final.

Sen's four first-round exits this season are concerning for a player seen as a future leader of Indian badminton after Srikanth and Prannoy.

Similarly, Priyanshu Rajawat, 23, has tested the patience of Indian fans with six first-round exits.Satwik-Chirag duo returns to spearhead India’s charge at Singapore Open

Singapore: The celebrated pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will make a much-anticipated return to elite competition after shaking off fitness concerns when the duo leads a star-studded Indian challenge at the Singapore Open Super 750 tournament starting on Tuesday.

The former world number one duo last played at the All England Championships in March but withdrew in the second round due to Chirag's back injury. They also pulled out of the Sudirman Cup because of Satwik's health issues.

Now fully fit, the Indian team, which reached the semi-final of Malaysia Open and India Open earlier this year, will open against Malaysia's Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad Haikal.

By reaching the finals of last week's Malaysia Masters, Kidambi Srikanth managed to lift himself and the overall gloom that had set over Indian badminton in the past few months.

He broke the pattern of India's singles players largely failing to make a deep run in the tournaments week after week for the past few months. Though he won't be competing this week, he will serve as an inspiration for his compatriots as they fight it out at the event.

HS Prannoy, a 2023 World Championships bronze-medallist who witnessed the rampaging run of Srikanth at Kuala Lumpur, will look to produce a similarly gritty show when he begins his campaign against Denmark's Rasmus Gemke. Pranniy is on a comeback trail after battling chikungunya last year.

Lakshya Sen will look to silence doubts about his fitness when he faces Lin Chun-Yi in the opening round.

The 23-year-old from Almora, a 2021 World Championships bronze-medallist, has struggled to find form since reaching the Paris Olympics semi-final.

Sen's four first-round exits this season are concerning for a player seen as a future leader of Indian badminton after Srikanth and Prannoy.

Similarly, Priyanshu Rajawat, 23, has tested the patience of Indian fans with six first-round exits.