The India Open 2025 is set to begin at the Indira Gandhi Arena in New Delhi, with top Indian badminton stars including PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, and the doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, aiming to perform well on home turf.
After a demanding Paris Olympic campaign, these players took time off to recover from injuries and rejuvenate. With fresh energy, they are ready to compete in the Yonex-Sunrise India Open, which starts on Tuesday at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall.
Part of the HSBC BWF World Tour Super 750 series, the tournament has attracted some of the world’s top players, including Olympic champions Viktor Axelsen and An Se-Young.
Sindhu, a former India Open champion in 2017, took an extended break after the Paris Olympics. She returned to the circuit late last year and married in December. She expressed excitement about making her comeback in front of home fans. “This will be my first tournament after marriage, and I want to give my best. The break after the Olympics helped me recover both physically and emotionally,” Sindhu said at the launch of the India Open 2025.
She will face Shuo Yung Sung from Chinese Taipei in her opening match.
Over 200 players from countries such as India, China, Japan, Denmark, South Korea, and Indonesia will compete this week, with 45 Indian players among them.
Sanjay Mishra, Secretary General of the Badminton Association of India, highlighted the significance of having 28 Indian entries in a Super 750 event. He said it shows the federation’s commitment to growing the sport in the country. “Hosting such events is important for the development of young players,” Mishra said.
Vikramaditya Dhar, Managing Director of Sunrise Sports India, spoke about the company’s belief in empowering athletes. “The India Open is more than just a tournament; it’s a celebration of badminton’s spirit and India’s growing dominance in the sport,” he said.
Apart from Sindhu, fans are also hopeful that Satwik and Chirag, the Asian Games gold medalists and last year’s runners-up, will add another India Open trophy to their collection. After taking most of 2024 off, they made a strong return at the Malaysia Open Super 1000, reaching the semifinals. They are determined to repeat their 2022 India Open victory. “After recovering from shoulder and back injuries, I feel fine and ready,” said Satwik. Chirag added, “We want to improve on last year’s results.”
The tournament has grown in popularity each year, attracting new players and fans. BWF Events Director Selvaamresh Supramaniam said, “The India Open continues to set new benchmarks every year, and we look forward to another successful event.”
Lakshya Sen, who won the 2022 India Open title, is also excited to play in front of fans, after his victory that year was held without an audience due to the pandemic. “The India Open is very important to us because we rarely get to play in front of our fans in India,” Sen said.
The 2025 BWF World Tour is expected to uncover new talent, and HSBC’s support as a key partner continues to play a vital role in the tour’s growth. “We are proud to be the global banking partner for the BWF and the title sponsor of the HSBC BWF World Tour,” said Hitendra Dave, General Manager & CEO of HSBC India.
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