Daijiworld Media Network - Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Sep 13: India is on the cusp of a historic double at the Hong Kong Open 2025, with Lakshya Sen powering into the men’s singles final and the men’s doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty finally breaking their semifinal curse to seal a place in the summit clash.

Lakshya Sen, 24, delivered a gritty performance to edge past third seed Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei in straight but closely fought games, 23-21, 22-20. The win, achieved in 56 minutes of high-octane badminton, marks Sen’s first appearance in a Super 500 final since 2023. He now faces a high-stakes clash against China’s World No. 4 Li Shi Feng. Sen holds a slender 7-6 head-to-head advantage over the Chinese star, setting the stage for a thrilling final.

In men’s doubles, Satwik and Chirag finally ended their streak of six semifinal exits in 2025 with a commanding 21-17, 21-15 win over Chinese Taipei’s unseeded pair Bing-Wei Lin and Chen Cheng Kuan. It’s their first final since the Asian Games gold in October 2023 and comes after a turbulent year marred by injuries and personal hardships.

Satwik has battled a string of setbacks this season—including a recurring back injury, an elbow issue, and the heartbreaking loss of his father earlier in the year. Chirag, too, has struggled with a persistent back problem that affected their consistency and forced tournament withdrawals. Despite these challenges, their bronze at the BWF World Championships hinted at a return to form.

Next up for the Indian pair is a showdown with China’s World No. 3 duo Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who breezed past fellow countrymen Fang-Chih Lee and Fang-Jen Lee in straight games.

With both singles and doubles finals featuring Indian talent, Sunday offers a golden opportunity for India to clinch a rare double at a BWF Super 500 event—an achievement that would underscore the country’s growing stature in global badminton.