Malaysia Open 2026: PV Sindhu, Satwik-Chirag Start Season With Wins as India See Mixed Results

India kicked off its 2026 badminton season with mixed results at the Malaysia Open, as seasoned campaigners PV Sindhu and the men’s doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty progressed to the second round, while the women’s doubles pairs bowed out in the opening round on Wednesday, January 7, at Bukit Jalil.

Returning to competitive action after a four-month injury layoff, Sindhu made a confident start to her campaign in the women’s singles. The former world champion defeated Chinese Taipei’s Sung Shuo Yun in straight games, winning 21-13, 22-20 in a 51-minute contest. Despite some early rustiness, Sindhu showed composure and experience to close out the match.

Sindhu had a slow start, trailing 1-6 in the opening game as she adjusted to match conditions. However, once she found her rhythm, the Indian star turned the tide with powerful smashes and controlled rallies, moving ahead 11-9 at the mid-game interval. From there, she dominated proceedings to take the first game comfortably.

The second game proved more competitive. Sindhu led 14-9 at one stage and appeared on course for a routine victory, but Sung raised her intensity and clawed her way back to level the score at 20-20. Under pressure, Sindhu relied on her vast experience, holding her nerve to win the final two points and seal the match in straight games. The win provided a valuable test for Sindhu as she continues her comeback to full competitive sharpness.

Sindhu is set to face a tougher challenge in the next round against eighth seed Tomoka Miyazaki, a former junior world number one.

In men’s doubles, third seeds Satwik and Chirag began their title quest with a solid performance, easing past Chinese Taipei’s Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan 21-13, 21-15. The Indian pair looked sharp and in control throughout the match, displaying their trademark aggression and coordination to book a place in the second round without much trouble.

However, it was a disappointing day for India in the women’s doubles category. Commonwealth Games bronze medallists Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly were knocked out in the first round after a hard-fought three-game battle against Indonesia’s Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma and Meilysa Trias Puspitasari. The Indian pair lost the opening game 9-21, fought back bravely to take the second 23-21, but eventually went down 19-21 in the decider after a gruelling contest lasting over an hour.

India’s women’s doubles challenge ended completely when sisters Rutuparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda lost in straight games to Malaysia’s second-seeded pair Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan.

In mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto were eliminated after a closely contested three-game loss to Presley Smith and Jennie Gai.

While India’s campaign saw early setbacks in the doubles events, the victories by Sindhu and Satwik-Chirag ensured a positive start to the 2026 season, with hopes resting on their continued progress in Kuala Lumpur.