PV Sindhu makes winning return, Satwik-Chirag survive tough test

New Delhi: PV Sindhu, the former champion, shook off the cobwebs from a long break to secure a hard-fought victory at the Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2025. She defeated Sung Shuo Yun of Chinese Taipei in straight games, while fellow Indians Kiran George, the men’s doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, and the mixed doubles pairing of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto also emerged victorious to reach the second round of the tournament at the KD Jadhav Hall on Tuesday.

In her first tournament since her marriage in December, Sindhu faced off against Sung in a 51-minute battle. Despite a few initial rhythm struggles, Sindhu powered through with a 21-14, 22-20 win. The world No. 16 showed signs of rust early, especially in the second game, where she let a commanding 20-10 lead slip, allowing Sung to push for a game point. However, Sindhu regained control, fighting back to secure a win.

“After a long break, it’s always difficult to find the rhythm, but I’m happy to win in straight games,” said Sindhu, who will now face Japan’s Manami Suizu in the next round. “My shuttle was going mid-court in the second game, but I was confident I could pull through.”