Indian Badminton Stars Eye Glory at Japan Open

The Indian badminton pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, currently ranked world No. 15, are set to lead the country's charge at the Japan Open Super 750 tournament. Their goal is to capture their first title of the season, having reached three semifinals and one quarterfinal in recent months.

Despite challenges earlier in the season, including injury setbacks for both players, the duo has shown resilience. They marked a semifinal appearance at the Singapore Open and reached the quarterfinals in Indonesia, demonstrating a resurgence in performance.

In the singles categories, Lakshya Sen, struggling with early exits, and PV Sindhu, recovering from a hamstring injury, will aim to regain their top form. Other Indian participants include Unnati Hooda and Anupama Upadhyaya, as well as the men's doubles team of Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi.

(With inputs from agencies.)