Singapore Open 2026: Satwik-Chirag, Dhruv-Tanisha reach semifinals
Synopsis
India's doubles pairs salvaged national pride at the Singapore Open 2026 as Satwik-Chirag avenged their All England defeat against the same Malaysian pair, while Sindhu's 9-match losing streak against world No. 1 An Se Young stretched further. With both doubles duos in the semis, India's medal hopes are alive — but the paths ahead are formidable.
Key Takeaways
Satwik-Chirag beat Malaysia's Kang Khai Xing/Aaron Tai 19-21, 21-17, 21-13 to reach the Singapore Open 2026 semifinals.
Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto advanced to the semis after the Malaysian pair Chen Tang Jie/Toh Ee Wei retired in the opening game.
PV Sindhu lost 21-17, 21-14 to World No.
1 An Se Young in the quarterfinals; her head-to-head deficit now stands at 0-9 .
Lakshya Sen exited in the quarterfinals, losing 19-21, 21-15, 15-21 to Japan's Koki Watanabe in 68 minutes .
Satwik-Chirag will face world No.
1 pair Kim Won Ho/Seo Seung Jae of South Korea in the semifinals.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, along with mixed doubles pair Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, advanced to the semifinals of the Singapore Open 2026 on Friday, 29 May at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. India's doubles contingent kept the country's flag flying after singles exits from PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen in the quarterfinals.
Satwik-Chirag Grind Through a Three-Game Battle
Fourth-seeded Satwik-Chirag produced a gritty comeback to down Malaysia's Kang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai 19-21, 21-17, 21-13 in a 65-minute contest. After surrendering the opening game, the Indian pair steadied themselves in a tightly contested second before pulling clear in the decider.
Notably, this result avenged an earlier loss to the same Malaysian pair that had ended their All England Open campaign this year. In the semifinals, they will face a formidable challenge: reigning world champions and world No. 1 pair Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae of South Korea.
Dhruv-Tanisha Advance on Retirement
In mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto progressed to the last four after third-seeded Malaysian pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei retired during the opening game. The Indian duo will face Japan's Yuichi Shimogami and Sayaka Hobara for a place in the final.
This comes after Dhruv and Tanisha had fought back impressively in the quarterfinals on Thursday, recovering from a heavy first-game loss to beat Japan's Yuta Watanabe and Maya Taguchi 8-21, 21-17, 21-16.
Sindhu's Campaign Ends Against An Se Young
PV Sindhu's Singapore Open 2026 run came to a halt in the quarterfinals, where she went down 21-17, 21-14 to World No. 1 An Se Young of South Korea in a 48-minute encounter. The defeat extended the Korean's head-to-head dominance over Sindhu to a commanding 9-0.
Sindhu had reached the quarterfinals in fine form, outplaying Japan's Riko Gunji in straight games in just 37 minutes on Thursday.
Lakshya Sen Falls in Three Games
Lakshya Sen, the All England 2026 runner-up, bowed out in the quarterfinals after a closely fought 19-21, 21-15, 15-21 loss to Japan's Koki Watanabe in 68 minutes. Sen had advanced to the last eight after Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn retired early in their round-of-16 match. Earlier, HS Prannoy had also exited, losing to Singapore's Loh Kean Yew 18-21, 21-16, 15-21 in the quarterfinals.
What's Next for India
India's semifinal hopes now rest entirely on its doubles pairs. Satwik-Chirag face the world's top-ranked men's doubles team in Kim-Seo, while Dhruv-Tanisha take on the Japanese pair for a final berth. Both matches are scheduled to be played at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Saturday, 30 May.
Point of View
It is a structural problem that demands a tactical rethink. Lakshya Sen's quarterfinal exit, despite his All England run, underlines the gap between one-off performances and consistent Super 500-level depth. The doubles pairs continue to carry disproportionate weight for Indian badminton at elite events, and while Satwik-Chirag's resilience is commendable, a semifinal against the world No. 1 Korean pair will be the real measure of where they stand heading into the second half of the season.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Satwik-Chirag qualify for the Singapore Open 2026 semifinals?
Yes, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty reached the Singapore Open 2026 semifinals on 29 May, defeating Malaysia's Kang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai 19-21, 21-17, 21-13 in a 65-minute match. They will face world No. 1 pair Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae of South Korea in the next round.
Why did PV Sindhu lose at the Singapore Open 2026?
PV Sindhu lost 21-17, 21-14 to World No. 1 An Se Young of South Korea in the quarterfinals on 29 May. The defeat extended An Se Young's head-to-head record against Sindhu to 9-0.
How did Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto reach the semifinals?
Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto advanced to the Singapore Open 2026 semifinals after third-seeded Malaysian pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei retired during the opening game of their quarterfinal. They will next face Japan's Yuichi Shimogami and Sayaka Hobara.
What was Lakshya Sen's result at the Singapore Open 2026?
Lakshya Sen, the All England 2026 runner-up, lost to Japan's Koki Watanabe 19-21, 21-15, 15-21 in a 68-minute quarterfinal clash and was eliminated from the tournament.
Who will India's doubles pairs face in the Singapore Open 2026 semifinals?
Satwik-Chirag will take on reigning world champions and world No. 1 pair Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae of South Korea. Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto will face Japan's Yuichi Shimogami and Sayaka Hobara for a place in the final.
