After a disappointing Day 2 for the Indian contingent at India Open 2025, home team shuttlers turned it around for the fans, as Kiran George started the day with an upset win. PV Sindhu and the men’s doubles pair of Satwiksai Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also advanced to the quarter-finals.
Kiran George scripts an upset
The 24 year-old up and coming men’s singles player started the day with a bang as he defeated World No. 17 Alex Lanier to become the first Indian to make it to the quarter-finals this year. Kiran surprised everyone with his grit as he saved six game points in the opening game and won 22-20, 21-13. Kiran, surprisingly, was a last minute addition to the competition from the reserves list.
“I was taking it one point at a time and not thinking about the lead. That helped me secure the win. Fortune also favoured me. I was patient and not giving away easy points. It’s a huge confidence booster. I’m focused on the next match now,” said Kiran after the match.
PV Sindhu continues momentum
Another highlight of the day was Sindhu winning her second game of the tournament, against Japan’s Manami Suizu 21-15, 21-13. After being sidelined for six months, Sindhu emphasised her focus on recovery and added that she wants to finish all her matches in two games.
“My movements and attack was working out well. Going forward, I need to be prepared for everything,” stated Sindhu after her win. “I’m happy I could give my 100%. I want to recover and come back stronger tomorrow. I need to be prepared. I’m playing against Gregoria Mariska Tunjung. She will not give away easy points. It won’t be an easy match.”
Satwik & Chirag blitz into quarter-finals
The fan favourite duo of Sat-Chi brought their A-game to the fore as they secured a thrilling 20-22, 21-14, 21-16 victory against Japan’s Kenya Mitsuhashi and Hiroki Okamura. After losing the first game, the ‘brothers of destruction’ regrouped with composure and won consecutive games, sealing their place in the quarter-finals and delighting the home crowd with their resilient comeback.
“I was wondering when we lost ‘sh*t we now need to play two more sets to win, we could have won the first one’. It’s always challenging to play three sets. We were comfortable going into the game but they kept fighting. Lucky to be on the winning side,” reflected Satwik after the match. “Any player would want to win in straight sets, but a win is a win. We get on the court to win. No matter how scratchy, we’ll take it,” added Chirag.
On the flip side, several Indian players exited the tournament in the second round. The women’s doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto lost 9-21, 21-23 against Japan’s Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto.
The results on Day 3 set up the tournament for an electrifying quarter-final draw. The crowd keeps building as the tournament progresses and the intensity of the competition continues to soar.
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