Japan Open 2026: Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty exit; India's men's singles campaign over
Synopsis
India's Japan Open 2026 campaign unravelled on Wednesday as Lakshya Sen fell in 38 minutes to home favourite Koki Watanabe, while Ayush Shetty — despite saving four match points in a dramatic second game — lost to world No. 2 Kunlavut Vitidsarn. With both men's doubles pairs already out and Unnati Hooda also eliminated, PV Sindhu stands as India's last singles hope in Tokyo.
Key Takeaways
Lakshya Sen lost to Koki Watanabe 21-16, 21-14 in just 38 minutes at the Japan Open 2026 on 15 July .
Ayush Shetty pushed world No.
2 Kunlavut Vitidsarn to three games, saving four match points in the second, before losing 21-19, 23-25, 15-21 .
Unnati Hooda was eliminated by Huang Yu-Hsun of Chinese Taipei 21-16, 16-21, 15-21 .
PV Sindhu is India's only remaining singles player; Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila continue in mixed doubles.
Both men's doubles pairs — Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty and Arjun/Amsakarunan — had already exited on Tuesday , with Rankireddy reportedly sustaining an injury.
Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty were both eliminated in their first-round matches at the Japan Open 2026 on Wednesday, 15 July, bringing India's men's singles campaign at the BWF Super 750 tournament in Tokyo to a close. Unnati Hooda also exited the women's singles draw on the same day, deepening India's singles woes at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
Lakshya Sen Undone by Home Favourite Watanabe
World No. 14 Lakshya Sen, seeded among the tournament's leading contenders, had no answer to home favourite Koki Watanabe, who claimed a commanding 21-16, 21-14 victory in just 38 minutes. Watanabe dictated the pace from the mid-game intervals in both sets, and Lakshya was unable to engineer a comeback despite repeated attempts to shift momentum. The defeat extended Watanabe's head-to-head advantage over the Indian to 3-4, with the Japanese shuttler now holding three wins in seven career meetings.
Ayush Shetty Pushes World No. 2 Vitidsarn to the Limit
Ayush Shetty produced a far more competitive display against world No. 2 Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand, taking the contest to three games before eventually falling short. Vitidsarn edged the opener 21-19, but Ayush rallied brilliantly in the second, saving four match points to win 25-23 and level the match. The decider, however, belonged to the Thai star, who closed out a 21-15 win to improve his head-to-head record against Ayush to 2-1. Notably, Ayush's resilience in the second game underlined the young Indian's potential against elite opposition.
Unnati Hooda Falls in Women's Singles
Unnati Hooda gave a spirited account of herself against Chinese Taipei's Huang Yu-Hsun but was ultimately unable to complete the comeback. After dropping the first game 21-16, Unnati levelled the contest with a 21-16 win in the second. Huang, however, held her nerve in the decider, sealing a 21-15 victory to advance to the next round.
India's Remaining Hopes in Tokyo
With the latest exits, India's singles representation at the Japan Open has thinned considerably. Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu remains the country's sole surviving singles player in Tokyo. Mixed doubles pair Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila are also still in contention and offer India further chances to make an impact at the Super 750 event.
Men's Doubles Exits Compound India's Losses
India's campaign had already taken a blow on Tuesday when both men's doubles combinations exited in the opening round. The high-profile pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty bowed out, with reports indicating the former sustained an injury — a concerning development given the tournament calendar. MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan also fell at the first hurdle, leaving India without representation in men's doubles. The cumulative exits raise questions about India's depth across formats as the season progresses.
Point of View
But Lakshya Sen's 38-minute capitulation to a home favourite is harder to explain for a player ranked 14th in the world. The Rankireddy injury — if confirmed — is the more consequential storyline, given how central that pair is to India's doubles pipeline. India's singles depth beyond Sindhu remains a structural concern that one tournament result alone cannot resolve, but the pattern of early exits at Super 750 events demands a harder look.
NationPress
15 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Lakshya Sen at the Japan Open 2026?
Lakshya Sen was eliminated in the first round of the Japan Open 2026 on 15 July, losing to Japan's Koki Watanabe 21-16, 21-14 in just 38 minutes. It was Watanabe's third win in seven career meetings against the Indian.
How did Ayush Shetty perform against Kunlavut Vitidsarn?
Ayush Shetty pushed world No. 2 Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand to three games, saving four match points to win the second game 25-23. Vitidsarn ultimately prevailed 21-19, 23-25, 21-15 to improve his head-to-head record against Ayush to 2-1.
Who is still competing for India at the Japan Open 2026?
PV Sindhu is India's only remaining singles player at the Japan Open 2026 in Tokyo. Mixed doubles pair Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila are also still in contention.
What happened to Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty at the Japan Open?
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were eliminated in the first round of men's doubles on Tuesday, 14 July. Reports indicate Rankireddy sustained an injury during the match, which could be a concern for upcoming tournaments.
Who is Unnati Hooda and what was her result at the Japan Open 2026?
Unnati Hooda is an Indian women's singles shuttler who was eliminated in the first round of the Japan Open 2026 by Chinese Taipei's Huang Yu-Hsun. She won the second game 21-16 to level the match but lost the decider 15-21.
