Lakshya Sen, Satwik-Chirag watched China Masters boost ahead of Asian Games

Lakshya Sen and the Satwiksaraj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty combination headline India’s challenge at the US$1.25 million China Masters Super 750, with the tournament offering an important opportunity to build momentum ahead of the Asian Games. Sen begins his campaign against newly crowned world champion Alex Lanier of France, while Satwik and Chirag will also face a tough task in the opening round.

For Sen, the tournament comes at an important time afterward disappointing World Cup campaign. The 24-year-old, who made history by becoming the first Indian to reach the semi-finals of the Paris 2024 Olympic singles, suffered a surprise defeat to world No.92 Garret Tan in the second round and will now look to rediscover the form that took him to the All England final this season.

However, Lanier presents a formidable first hurdle. The Frenchman arrives in China as the reigning world champion, making Sen’s opening match one of the most significant matches in the men’s singles draw.

India’s other top singles hope, former world number one Kidambi Srikanth, will take on Chinese Taipei’s Chi Yu-jen. Srikanth reached the final of the US Open Super 300 in June but has struggled to maintain that level since then as he pulled out of the Canada Open with injury before exiting the Korea Masters in the opening round.

SATWIK-CHIRAG GO OUT TO BUILD MOMENTUM

Satwiksiraj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty enter the Super 750 as the fourth seed and will be among India’s strongest medal hopes. The pair ended their two-year wait for an international title by winning the Singapore Open earlier this year, but their World Cup run ended in the third round on home soil.

Their China Masters campaign begins against China’s Hu Ke Yuan and Lin Xiang Yi, who won the Orleans Masters title this season. Satwik’s recurring shoulder problem remains a factor, but the tournament gives the pair valuable competition ahead of their title defense at the Asian Games in Japan.

YOUNG INDIANS UNDER THE DOCTOR

The Indian women’s singles challenge will feature Unnati Hooda, Tanvi Sharma and Devika Sihag, with all three facing tests against established opposition.

Eighteen-year-old Unnati has fifth-seeded Han Yue from China in the opening round. The Rohtak shuttler has already won three BWF World Tour titles, including Odisha Open, Abu Dhabi Masters and Odisha Masters.

Tanvi, 17, meets Denmark’s Amalie Schulz. The former junior world number one became the youngest winner of the Taipei Open Super 300 this year, adding another milestone to her rapid rise.

Devika will face Bulgaria’s Kaloyana Nalbant after arriving in China after winning the Thailand Masters Super 300.

Elsewhere, Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun take on 2021 world champions Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi, while Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto take on Thailand’s Tonkid and Tonrug Saeheng. Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde will take on Chinese Taipei’s Wu Guan Xun and Lee Chia Hsin in the mixed doubles.

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Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

31 Aug 2026 10:56 IST