Indian Badminton Duo Satwik-Chirag Return To Action In China Masters

MUMBAI, NOVEMBER 18 - Indian shuttlers Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have announced their comeback to competitive badminton with the China Masters Super 750 tournament scheduled to begin here on Tuesday.

The duo, who finished runner-up in the last editions of the tournament, will return to action after a series of high-profile tournaments due to Satwik's shoulder injury. Following their Paris Olympics campaign, where they were eliminated without securing a medal, Satwik and Chirag have been working towards a full recovery.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (right) on his return to competitive badminton (PTI Photo)

Speaking exclusively to Al Bahrain Daily, the Indian men's doubles pair will aim to regain their momentum against Chinese Taipei's Yang Po-Hsuan and Lee Jhe-Huei in the opening round of the China Masters.

"We're thrilled to return to action and make our comeback at this prestigious event. We've been working hard on regaining our form after a series of tournaments and we're confident about our chances," said an upbeat Chirag Shetty.

Meanwhile, women's singles shuttlers P V Sindhu and Lakshya Sen will be eyeing up a consistent performance in the China Masters Super 750 tournament. The Indian duo took a break following their disappointing campaign at the Paris Olympics but has since made progress towards regaining consistency.

P V Sindhu: "I've worked hard to get back to form and I'm feeling good about my game. The journey hasn't been easy, but I'm optimistic about our chances in China Masters."

Lakshya Sen: "The comeback road hasn’t been without its struggles, and that's shown in the performance at Kumamoto Master Japan where he was disappointed with first round exit"

Women's singles players have also announced their presence at the tournament, including the 23-year-old Akarsi Kashyap who will be playing her opening match against Tomoka Miyazaki of Japan.