Report। Sadiq jalal
Biggest contingent of 36 Indian Players to be in action at the KD Jadhav Stadium from January 14-19
New Delhi : The likes of PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen and even the double combination of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty needed a break to recuperate from injuries and niggles and rejuvenate themselves after the arduous Paris Olympic campaign. Having taken their time by spending time away from the circuit, the top stars of Indian badminton are set to unleash their best on home turf as the Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2025 kicks off at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall at the Indira Gandhi Arena here from Tuesday.
The prestigious event, which is part of the HSBC BWF World Tour Super 750 series, has attracted the world’s best badminton players including the likes of Olympic champions Viktor Axelsen and An Se-Young among others.
Sindhu, the 2017 champion, took a long break after the Paris Olympics before returning to the circuit at the end of the year. She also got married in December and is looking forward to making a strong statement with her performance here.
“This will be my first tournament after marriage and also in the new year. So everything is new and I want to give my best in the competition in front of the home fans… After the Paris Olympics, I wanted some time to recover physically and emotionally and the break has helped me get back rejuvenated,” said Sindhu at the launch press conference of the Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2025 on Monday.
Sindhu will open her campaign against compatriot Anupama Upadhyaya with upcoming Japanese sixth seed Tomoka Miyazaki likely to be her opponent in the second round.
More than 200 players from powerhouse badminton nations such as India, China, Japan, Denmark, South Korea and Indonesia will be in action in the Yonex-Sunrise India Open this week with as many as 36 Indian players set to participate in the tournament.
Badminton Association of India secretary general Sanjay Mishra pointed out that the number of Indian players participating in the tournament was a testament to the federation’s effort to spread the game across the country. “To have 22 entires in a Super 750 event is a big achievement for Indian badminton. Getting a chance to play in a tournament of this stature and watch the world’s best in action will only help the development of our young guns and this is why hosting such events is so important for us.”
Speaking about their association with the tournament, Vikramaditya Dhar, Managing Director of Sunrise Sports India, said, “At Yonex-Sunrise, we believe in empowering athletes with the best-in-class equipment and creating platforms to showcase their talent. The Yonex Sunrise India Open is not just a tournament; it’s a celebration of badminton’s spirit and India’s rising dominance in the sport.”
Apart from Sindhu, Indian badminton fans will be hoping that Asian Games gold medallists and last edition runners-up, Satwik and Chirag, add another India Open trophy to their cabinet.
Satwik and Chirag were out of action for major part of 2024 after the Paris Games. They made a strong comeback in the Malaysia Open Super 1000 last week, reaching the semi-finals and are determined to repeat their 2022 India Open title winning performance. “The shoulder injury has been on and off. But I also had a back injury after the Paris Olympics which took time to recover from. But now I am fine and have no problems,” said Satwik and Chirag
“The last time we came here was after playing the final of the Malaysia Open and reached the final here. This time also we have started (the year) with a semi-final in Malaysia and want to improve on last year’s results,” he added.
“Each year this tournament has continued to grow in stature and popularity, attracting a new generation of players and fans. The Yonex-Sunrise India Open has been setting new benchmarks every year and we are looking forward to yet another successfully organised event this week,” said BWF Events Director – Tournament Operations, Selvaamresh Supramaniam.
Sen is also keen on winning the crown in the presence of fans as his title winning performance in 2022 was behind closed doors due to Covid-pandemic induced ban on spectators’ entry in the stadium that year.
“We rarely get to play in front of fans in India and hence the India Open is a very important tournament for us. The last time I won the tournament, it was without the fans. But this time, I want to win it in front of the fans,” he said, adding he has put behind the disappointment of missing out on the Paris Olympics medal and the fire to do well is still burning bright.
The 2025 season of the BWF World Tour is expected to unearth fresh talent and the support of partners has been a key to the development of the Tour over the years.
Speaking about their role as the key partner of the HSBC BWF World Tour, Hitendra Dave, General Manager & CEO, HSBC India said, “At HSBC, we are proud to be associated with the Badminton World Federation (BWF) as the Global Banking Partner and as the Title Sponsor of the HSBC BWF World Tour. The partnership between HSBC and the BWF demonstrates a shared passion for promoting the sport and creating opportunities for players, fans and enthusiasts worldwide. We are excited to engage with our customers, colleagues, and their passion for badminton.”
This will be the first time that the ticketing process for the Yonex-Sunrise India Open will be paperless with Ticmint being the official ticketing partner. Badminton fans can buy their tickets from https://indiaopen2025.ticmint.com/event/16347.
