Singapore Open 2026: PV Sindhu, Satwik-Chirag start campaign with strong opening wins

Indian badminton stalwarts PV Sindhu and the men’s doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty began their Singapore Open 2026 campaign on a winning note, progressing into the next round with composed performances at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Tuesday.

Two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu made a strong start in women’s singles, defeating Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani 21-17, 21-18 in a hard-fought opening round clash.

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The former world champion showed resilience in both games, recovering from brief mid-game pressure to close out the contest in straight games. She will now face Japan’s Riko Gunji in the pre-quarterfinals.

In men’s doubles, the world No. 4 pair Satwik-Chirag overcame a testing opener against Chen Zhi Yi and Presley Smith, winning 26-28, 21-15, 21-13 in a one-hour and 15-minute battle.

After narrowly dropping the first game despite saving multiple game points, the Indian duo regrouped strongly to dominate the next two games with aggressive net play and sharp finishing. They will next meet Chinese Taipei’s Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan in the Round of 16.

Elsewhere in men’s singles, India’s Ayush Shetty showed promise after taking the first game 21-11 against Victor Lai but couldn’t sustain momentum and went down 21-11, 14-21, 12-21. Other Indian shuttlers also exited on Day 1 after facing defeats in their respective matches.

Overall, it was a mixed opening day for India in Singapore, highlighted by confident wins from Sindhu and Satwik-Chirag, who continue to lead the country’s charge on the international badminton circuit.