Japan Open 2025: Satwik-Chirag, Lakshya sail into second round with dominant wins
Indian doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty sailed into the second round of the Japan Open Super 750 with a commanding straight-game win on Wednesday. Lakshya Sen also advanced in the men’s singles segment with an equally dominant performance.
In men’s doubles, Satwik and Chirag — currently ranked 15th in the world — defeated Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk and Kim Dong Ju 21-18, 21-10 in just 42 minutes. The former world No. 1 Indian duo took time to settle, with the Koreans matching them early in the opening game. But once they found their rhythm, the Indians took control, dominating the second game with clinical precision.
In singles, Lakshya, who has endured a patchy season marked by several first-round exits, looked sharp as he brushed aside China’s Wang Zheng Xing 21-11, 21-18.
The world No. 18 was in total control in the first game, surging to an 11-2 lead and closing it out comfortably. Xing mounted a stronger challenge in the second, but Lakshya’s early momentum helped him stay ahead and wrap up the match in straight games.
He will next face seventh seed and home favourite Kodai Naraoka in the round of 16.