Sindhu, Satwik-Chirag reach Thailand Open QF with straight-game wins
Synopsis
PV Sindhu dismantled Amalie Schulz in just 28 minutes while Satwik-Chirag — the only top seeds with Thailand Open titles — swept past a Malaysian pair to reach the quarter-finals in Bangkok. Sindhu's next test is reigning world champion Akane Yamaguchi, where she holds a slim 15-13 head-to-head edge.
Key Takeaways
PV Sindhu beat Amalie Schulz 21-13, 21-15 in just 28 minutes to reach the Thailand Open quarter-finals.
Sindhu will face reigning world champion Akane Yamaguchi next; Sindhu leads their head-to-head 15-13 .
Satwik-Chirag defeated Malaysia's Goonting/Haikal 21-12, 21-19 and face Japan's sixth-seed Nomura/Shimogami in the quarter-finals.
The pair are the only top seeds in the draw with prior Thailand Open titles ( 2019 and 2024 ).
Kidambi Srikanth upset eighth seed Loh Kean Yew , and Lakshya Sen also progressed in the men's singles draw.
48 Kharb was eliminated by World No.
4 Chen Yu Fei in a 70-minute three-game battle.
PV Sindhu and the men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty advanced to the quarter-finals of the Thailand Open 2025, a BWF Super 500 tournament, with commanding straight-game victories in Bangkok on Thursday, 14 May. The results keep India's challenge alive across two disciplines at one of Asia's marquee badminton events.
Sindhu Breezes Past Schulz in 28 Minutes
World No. 12 PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, dispatched Danish shuttler Amalie Schulz 21-13, 21-15 in a contest that lasted just 28 minutes. The victory was Sindhu's second straight-game win of the tournament, following her 21-9, 21-12 demolition of Chinese Taipei's Tung Ciou-Tong in the opening round.
Sindhu now faces a high-stakes quarter-final against Akane Yamaguchi of Japan, the reigning world champion. The two are well-acquainted rivals — Sindhu holds a 15-13 head-to-head advantage over Yamaguchi, a margin that will offer some confidence heading into what is expected to be a gruelling contest.
Satwik-Chirag Extend Dominant Run
Top seeds Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, fresh from helping India claim a Thomas Cup bronze medal, continued their strong form by defeating Malaysia's Bryan Jeremy Goonting and Muhammad Haikal 21-12, 21-19 in the pair's first-ever career meeting.
Notably, Satwik-Chirag are the only top seeds in the draw with prior Thailand Open titles to their name, having won the tournament in 2019 and 2024. Their quarter-final opponent will be sixth-seeded Japanese duo Takumi Nomura and Yuichi Shimogami. Earlier in the tournament, the Indian pair had opened with a three-game thriller — 21-19, 21-23, 21-10 — against Indonesia's Muh Putra Erwiansyah and Bagas Maulana.
Other Indian Challengers in Action
Kidambi Srikanth produced a notable scalp in the opening round, upsetting eighth seed Loh Kean Yew of Singapore 21-14, 21-15. Lakshya Sen, returning from an injury sustained at the Thomas Cup, also progressed, beating Singapore's Jia Heng Jason Teh 21-16, 21-17 in 43 minutes.
Devika Sihag, the Thailand Masters 2026 champion, defeated Japan's N. Nidaira in the preliminary round, while World No. 50 Malvika Bansod — still recovering from an ACL surgery on her left knee — ground out a hard-fought 13-21, 26-24, 21-13 win over Zhang Wen Yu. Sihag, Srikanth, Sen, and Bansod were all scheduled for second-round action later on Thursday.
Kharb Exits in Tough Three-Game Battle
Not all Indian campaigns survived the day. World No. 48 Kharb was eliminated in the opening round after a 70-minute contest against World No. 4 Chen Yu Fei, going down 21-19, 13-21, 18-21 in a closely fought match that went the distance.
With Sindhu and Satwik-Chirag both through to the last eight, India's contingent at the Thailand Open remains well-placed, and all eyes will be on whether the duo can push deep into the knockout stages.
Point of View
But the real measure comes against Yamaguchi — a player who has dominated women's badminton since 2022. For Satwik-Chirag, the Thomas Cup bronze has clearly not blunted their edge; arriving as top seeds with two prior Thailand titles, they are the tournament's most credible contenders. The broader Indian squad's mixed fortunes — Kharb out, Bansod and Lakshya still finding rhythm — underline that depth beyond the headline names remains a work in progress.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who did PV Sindhu beat to reach the Thailand Open quarter-finals?
PV Sindhu defeated Danish shuttler Amalie Schulz 21-13, 21-15 in just 28 minutes to advance to the quarter-finals of the Thailand Open 2025. It was her second straight-game win of the tournament.
Who will Sindhu face in the quarter-finals?
Sindhu will face reigning world champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the quarter-finals. Sindhu holds a 15-13 head-to-head advantage over Yamaguchi heading into the match.
How did Satwik-Chirag perform at the Thailand Open?
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty beat Malaysia's Bryan Jeremy Goonting and Muhammad Haikal 21-12, 21-19 to reach the quarter-finals. The Indian pair, top seeds and two-time Thailand Open champions, will next face Japan's Takumi Nomura and Yuichi Shimogami.
Which Indian players were eliminated at the Thailand Open?
World No. 48 Kharb was knocked out in the opening round, losing 21-19, 13-21, 18-21 to World No. 4 Chen Yu Fei in a 70-minute contest. Other Indians including Lakshya Sen, Srikanth, Bansod, and Devika Sihag were still in contention on Thursday.
What is the Thailand Open and why does it matter?
The Thailand Open is a BWF Super 500 badminton tournament held in Bangkok, one of the higher-tier events on the global badminton calendar. Strong performances here carry significant ranking points and serve as a key benchmark ahead of major championships.
