Indian Stars Gear Up for China Masters as Badminton Season Nears End

The 2024 badminton season is drawing to a close, but Indian fans have much to anticipate as the nation’s top players, including the returning Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, prepare to compete at the prestigious China Masters Super 750 starting Tuesday. 

With Satwik-Chirag back in action and several key matchups on the horizon, the tournament presents an opportunity for Indian shuttlers to end a challenging year on a high note.  

India’s ace men’s doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, are set to return after a three-month hiatus following their quarterfinal exit at the Paris Olympics. Satwik’s recovery from a persistent shoulder injury has kept the duo off the circuit, but they are now focused on rebuilding momentum.  

The former world No. 1 pair, seeded sixth, will face Yang Po-Hsuan and Lee Jhe-Huei of Chinese Taipei in their opener, a duo they’ve beaten in all three prior encounters. However, with rust to shake off and the absence of their former coach Mathias Boe, this tournament will test their adaptability. Rumours suggest Tan Kim Her, the architect of their partnership, could return to coach them, but for now, chief coach Pullela Gopichand will lead their corner.  

Placed in the same section as second seeds Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, Sat-Chi’s real challenge will come if they advance to the quarterfinals, where they aim to replicate last year’s runner-up finish.  

In men’s singles, all eyes are on Lakshya Sen, who faces Olympic bronze medallist Lee Zii Jia in the first round. Despite leading their head-to-head record 4-2, Lakshya’s loss to Lee at the Paris Olympics from a winning position left a lasting mark. Struggling with a five-match losing streak since then, Lakshya needs a victory to restore confidence.  

A win against Lee could set up a second-round clash against either Rasmus Gemke or Kenta Nishimoto, with Anders Antonsen potentially waiting in the quarterfinals. Fellow Indian Priyanshu Rajawat, promoted from reserves, faces Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo in his opener and may meet world No. 1 Shu Yu Qi in the second round.  

PV Sindhu’s journey to reclaim her dominance continues at this tournament. After losing a hard-fought battle to Michelle Li last week, Sindhu, now ranked world No. 20, faces Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan in her opener. Sindhu boasts a 19-1 record against her opponent and should advance, but a potential quarterfinal clash with eighth seed Supanida Katethong looms as a challenging test.  

In a promising sign, three other Indian women—Malvika Bansod, Aakarshi Kashyap, and Anupama Upadhya—are also in the singles draw. While expectations are modest, their presence reflects growing depth in Indian women’s badminton.