India enjoyed another strong day at the Singapore Open Super 750 as Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu delivered a commanding performance to storm into the women’s singles quarterfinals, while the celebrated men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also advanced after a hard-fought battle on Thursday.
Competing at one of the most prestigious tournaments on the BWF World Tour calendar, Indian shuttlers showcased resilience, experience and attacking brilliance against high-quality international opposition. Sindhu, in particular, looked close to her vintage best as she brushed aside Japan’s Riko Gunji in straight games to continue her impressive campaign in Singapore.
The two-time Olympic medallist needed just 37 minutes to seal a dominant 21-9, 21-12 victory over the world number 35 from Japan. From the opening rally, Sindhu controlled the pace of the match with powerful smashes, sharp movement and aggressive net play that left Gunji struggling to respond. The Indian star raced to an early lead in the first game and never allowed her opponent to settle. Her superior experience and tactical discipline proved decisive as she consistently targeted the corners and forced errors from the Japanese player. Sindhu maintained the same intensity in the second game, quickly building momentum before wrapping up the contest comfortably.
The performance marked one of Sindhu’s most convincing wins of the season and highlighted signs of growing confidence after a challenging phase over the past year due to injuries and inconsistent results. The former world champion has been working on regaining rhythm and match sharpness after returning to full fitness earlier this season.
According to BWF statistics, Sindhu has historically enjoyed success at major Asian tournaments and remains one of India’s most accomplished badminton players on the international stage. The 30-year-old has won medals at the Olympics, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, making her one of the most decorated athletes in Indian sporting history.
However, a far tougher challenge now awaits the Indian ace in the quarterfinals. Sindhu is set to face world number one and top seed An Se Young of South Korea, who has dominated women’s badminton in recent seasons with her incredible consistency and defensive excellence.
The upcoming clash is expected to be one of the headline matches of the tournament. While An Se Young has held the upper hand in recent meetings, Sindhu’s experience in big-match situations and attacking game on fast indoor courts could make the contest highly competitive. Meanwhile, India’s top men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty battled through a tense three-game encounter to secure their place in the quarterfinals. The fourth-seeded duo defeated Chinese Taipei pair Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan 21-15, 11-21, 21-18 in exactly one hour.
The Indian pair started strongly, using their trademark aggressive attacking style and quick interceptions at the net to dominate the opening game. However, the Taiwanese combination responded impressively in the second game, capitalising on a dip in intensity from Satwik and Chirag to force the match into a decider.
The final game turned into a gripping contest with both pairs exchanging rapid rallies and momentum swings. Satwik and Chirag eventually held their nerve in the closing stages, producing crucial attacking points to seal victory and continue India’s challenge in the doubles category. The former world number one duo has been among the most successful men’s doubles combinations in Indian badminton history. Over the last few years, they have won titles at the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and several BWF World Tour events, helping elevate India’s presence in doubles badminton globally.
Next up for Satwik and Chirag is a quarterfinal clash against Malaysia’s Khai Xing Kang and Aaron Tai, another promising young pair capable of producing fast-paced attacking badminton.
India also had success in mixed doubles, where Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto produced an impressive comeback victory against Japanese pair Yuta Watanabe and Maya Taguchi. After losing the opening game 8-21, the Indian combination showed remarkable composure and tactical improvement to win the next two games 21-17, 21-16. The victory underlined the growing strength of India’s mixed doubles programme, an area where the country has traditionally struggled at the highest level. Dhruv and Tanisha displayed excellent coordination and defensive resilience as they turned the match around after a difficult start.
They will next face either Korean pair Kim Jae Hyeon and Ha Jeong or the third-seeded Malaysian duo of Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei in the quarterfinals.
With multiple Indian entries progressing deep into the tournament, the Singapore Open continues to offer encouraging signs for Indian badminton ahead of the upcoming major international events, including the World Championships and Olympic qualification tournaments. For fans, Thursday’s performances served as another reminder of India’s growing depth and competitiveness on the global badminton stage.
