It’s still early in the season, and while looking for fresh beginnings, some of the prime protagonists of the YONEX-SUNRISE India Open 2025 were glancing at the rearview mirror to draw inspiration.

Lakshya Sen, for instance, whose 2024 season was – perhaps unfairly – identified with his missing out on a medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, insisted that recent reverses hadn’t dimmed his fire. His win at the India Open three years ago was his biggest achievement on the Tour early in his senior career, and he sought to draw strength from that memory, for his recent form has been rather uneven.

He fell tamely in the first round of the PETRONAS Malaysia Open last week, and while he did win the Syed Modi International late last year, it was in a depleted field. Apart from team events like the Thomas Cup last year and the Asian Games in 2023, his results on the circuit have been modest, with the bright spots being semifinals at the French Open and the All England early last year, besides the fourth place at the Olympics.

Sen acknowledged that he was looking to the India Open to rediscover his winning form at the bigger events on the World Tour.

“I won the India Open in 2022 and wasn’t in front of fans,” Sen said, referring to the COVID restrictions then in place. “So I hope to win it in front of fans. All the top players are here, so it’s a treat for the fans. Last year was tough for me, losing (while) close to a medal and missing out. But the fire inside is still burning bright, so I’m looking forward to doing well this year.

“It wasn’t an ideal start at the Malaysia Open,” the world No.12 continued. “But I’m looking forward to a tough season ahead. The season has just begun. There will be ups and downs. Last year showed me it can be tough at times.

“Overall it (Olympics) was a good experience… that experience will help me now. It gave me a lot of belief as well, that if (the level) can be there, I can win tournaments.”

And while Sen sought inspiration from his 2022-winning feat at the India Open, his compatriots Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also drew strength from their past association with Tan Kim Her, who has returned as their coach after a stint with Japan.
Tan was the one who had formed the pair in early 2016 – Rankireddy and Shetty were with different partners – and they reflected on what it meant to be reuniting with a coach who had been pivotal to their career.

“To have him back – he was the one who paired us up; we were youngsters back then,” recalled Shetty. “Before he left us we were in the top 20. To have him back, it’s really good for us. The approach now is a lot different. We are established on the World Tour. It’s give-and-take. Now it’s a lot more conversational, and we tell him our opinion.”

“I feel you need a bond with the coach,” added Rankireddy. “Everyone knows the story. We used to call him ‘daddy’ because he made us. We still have the same bond.”