India’s badminton aspirations at the US Open 2025 are spearheaded by a compelling mix of seasoned expertise and burgeoning young talent, as the tournament commenced this Tuesday. Veteran shuttler Kidambi Srikanth returns to competitive action, leading the charge in men’s singles.
Srikanth, fresh off a remarkable runner-up finish at the Malaysia Masters, where he made history as only the second male player to reach a BWF Super 500 final from qualifiers, is brimming with confidence. Seeded eighth at the US Open, the world No. 50 Indian is set to face England’s Harry Huang, ranked 77th, in his opening match.
Joining Srikanth in the men’s singles draw are promising rising stars Ayush Shetty and Priyanshu Rajawat, seeded fourth and sixth respectively. Shetty, currently ranked 34th, and Rajawat, at 37th, are both eager to cement their positions among the sport’s elite. The Indian men’s singles contingent is further strengthened by Tharun Mannepalli, Rithvik Sanjeevi, and qualifiers Chirag Sen, BM Rahul Bharadwaj, and Darshan Pujari.
In the women’s singles, the Indian challenge is led by the 49th-ranked Aakarshi Kashyap, though considerable attention is on 18-year-old Anmol Kharb. Kharb, currently world No. 63, is on a rapid ascent and is widely considered one of India’s brightest prospects. The women’s singles lineup also includes Tanvi Sharma, Tanya Hemanth, Shriyanshi Valishetty, and qualifier Ira Sharma.
India’s strongest medal prospects in doubles categories lie with Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi, who are seeded third in men’s doubles. They are joined by several other Indian pairs, including Dingku Singh Konthoujam-Amaan Mohammad and Abinash Mohanty-Ayush Pattanayak, with four additional duos advancing through qualifying.
In the women’s doubles, India’s hopes rest on the eighth-seeded pair of Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra. However, the most anticipated category is mixed doubles, where top seeds Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto enter as strong favorites. The duo reached the semifinals of the German Open earlier this year, and their impressive chemistry and recent form make them formidable contenders for the title.
