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First Post
9 minutes ago
- Sport
- First Post
No goals as of now, just want to stay injury-free ahead of World Championships: Satwik
Indian badminton stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, and Lakshya Sen open up on battling injuries and niggles ahead of the 2025 World Championships. read more Tokyo: Top Indian shuttler Satwiksairaj Rankireddy is just relieved to see positive results on court despite recurring injury setbacks and said the focus ahead of next month's World Championships is on staying fit, with no long-term goals in mind. Satwik and Chirag Shetty have reached three semifinals this season, in addition to a quarterfinal finish at the Indonesia Open last month. After semifinal runs at the Malaysia Open and India Open in January, the Indian duo was sidelined for several weeks due to Satwik's health concerns and Chirag's persistent back injury. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD They returned to the circuit with a semifinal appearance at the Singapore Open and quarterfinal showing in Indonesia. On Wednesday, the former world No. 1 pair began their Japan Open Super 750 campaign with a comfortable 21-18, 21-10 win over Korea's Kang Min Hyuk and Kim Won Ho. 'For us, it's to get fit 100%. It's always up and down. Once he's better, I'll have some niggles. Once I'm better, he's having some niggles. So we haven't played without injury from past one year. So we have been struggling with niggles,' said Satwik. 'Still, we are managing to play some good quality games. So that is a positive side. But right now, our aim is to get injury-free and be healthy all the time.' The Japan Open will be followed by the China Open Super 1000 before the top players head to Paris for the World Championships, scheduled from August 25 to 31. 'Just not thinking so much ahead. No goals as of now. Obviously, we want to do well, but at the same time, we want to be healthy,' Satwik added. 'And once we are healthy, I know we can do that. So the only thing is injuries are holding us, restricting our game. But right now, we are both feeling good because we had a break after Singapore. Both are really fit enough, so we'll see how it goes.' Chirag echoed Satwik's sentiments and said the break after the Indonesia Open was essential for recovery. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'No, it was actually needed. So we had sent entry for US, Canada as well. But after Singapore and Indonesia, we needed that break because I especially was not fit enough,' the Mumbai shuttler said. 'I think leading up to the Singapore-Indonesia Open. But right now, I had some good couple of weeks. So body feels much better than it was. We just took a break the first week after we got back, freshened up. And then got back to practice. 'I was out for post-All England. I had to withdraw. And then for two months, I was out. Not really fit going into Singapore-Indonesia, but now it's a lot better.' I've been struggling on and off the court with niggles: Lakshya Sen Struggling with niggles over the past few months, Lakshya Sen said it has been 'a little frustrating' to deal with the setbacks, and his primary focus now is to get some wins under his belt as he prepares for the World Championships. Sen, who has endured a tough season with multiple first-round exits, produced a morale-boosting performance on Wednesday with a 21-11, 21-18 win over China's Wang Zheng Xing to make a positive start here. 'It feels really good to win a match. I've been struggling on the court and off the court as well with injuries. I would not say injuries, but some niggles here and there which are keeping me away from badminton,' he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'It's a little bit frustrating. The past few months have been a little bit frustrating. But yeah, again, I'm focused. I'm trying to do the right thing. And yeah, really happy with the win today.' Sen was recently troubled by a back issue that forced him to retire mid-match against Lin Chun-Yi at the Singapore Open. Asked if the recurring niggles were weighing on his mind, Sen said: 'Yes, I think it was there. Especially before the match, even closing in the second set where it was close. I mean, it was back in my mind. But yeah, I was just trying to fight my thoughts and also the opponent. 'So yeah, happy with the way I played today. Looking forward to the next match, one match at a time.' On his goals for the coming weeks, Sen said: 'Yes, the World Championships are just around the corner and I've been preparing well for it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'For me now, the most important thing is I've trained well in the last few months. I've done everything in training. So now it's just about winning more matches and be more competitive, be sharp until the World Championships. 'I have a few good tournaments to just keep going and then good 2-3 weeks of preparation before the World Championships.' Speaking about his buildup to the Japan Open, Sen revealed he was having issues in his shoulder and ankle during the past few months. 'I think I've been training well. But yeah, there were some injuries — with the shoulder and also the ankle. So I was doing everything possible to protect the injured parts. 'Just hoping that I get back to winning ways and try and get more matches under my belt now.'
Indian Express
39 minutes ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Japan Open badminton: PV Sindhu after another first-round exit – ‘It's been a tough year, training-wise it's going well but it's a matter of time and consistency'
A straight-games 21-15, 21-14 defeat on Wednesday against world No 14 Sim Yu Jin at the Japan Open Super 750 on Wednesday in Tokyo meant that PV Sindhu has suffered five first-round exits and three second-round exits in 2025. It's been a frustrating year for the Indian superstar and she admitted that she hasn't able to find the consistency yet, more than six months into the calendar and a World Championships on the horizon. 'It's been a tough year so far. I mean, it's already been six months now. I mean, training-wise it's going on well, but it's just a matter of time and the consistency that I need,' Sindhu told BWF. 'To just keep going and to maintain that pace and make sure I'm playing those long games and long matches. I think I need to go back and practice them again. It is hard to say because I've been training really hard and I wanted to change things and work things out. But, I mean, sometimes it's life. So you have to just keep struggling until you get there.' Her defeat against Sim was a head-scratcher because she showed flashes of attacking brilliance, and in extended rallies, still had the attacking power to put the Korean under trouble. But the unforced errors – and there were far too many of those – meant Simt was never really under any scoreboard pressure. Sindhu's slow starts in both games she was constantly playing catch up. 'I've given her a huge lead in the beginning. I covered, I came back but then it was already too late because, a small error again and I need to catch up. It was basically like I was chasing her more than me taking the initiative,' Sindhu spoke, when asked where she struggled on Wednesday. 'Overall I made some errors, I feel that when I was playing strokes, the shuttle was actually going into her hands, she was able to easily take it instead of me actually making her move. Even my coach was mentioning that I was hitting it to her hands. She was making me move more of most of the times and I think that's where strategy-wise it went a bit wrong.' When asked if Sim's deceptive stroke play troubled her, Sindhu said it was more about allowing her opponent to play the way she wanted. 'Everything starts with the way I play. Where is she, you know, contacting the shuttle. So basically if it's in her hands, she's easily able to play those deceptive strokes because, it's not really hard for her to try new strokes. I think that's where I was lacking at,' Sindhu added. Last month, during her visit to the Sports Sciences facility at the SAI Center Bengaluru, Sindhu spoke to the media about adapting to the demands of the modern women's singles gameplay. 'These days I need to maintain my patience during longer rallies. I am playing rallies that have 30 or 40 strokes. So accordingly, I need to do my physical fitness and endurance. Because I need to withstand being on the court for a very long period. So that way we have been doing changes, and it's good that Irwansyah has come and is training me,' she had said. 'As I said that women's singles has changed and it has been more defensive with long rallies and long matches. We have been working on that, especially in term of being more patient enough to continue that rally and keep the shuttle in the court for a longer period of time,' she had said. Unfortunately at the moment, it just isn't coming together on the court for the 30-year-old.
News18
an hour ago
- Sport
- News18
Lakshya Sen After Injuries: 'Looking Forward To The Next Match, One At A Time..'
Last Updated: Lakshya Sen, frustrated by minor injuries, aims for victories before the World Championships. He recently defeated China's Wang Zheng Xing and is focused on staying competitive. Lakshya Sen has been dealing with persistent minor injuries over the past few months, leading to some frustration. His main focus now is to secure some victories as he prepares for the World Championships. After a challenging season with several first-round exits, Sen delivered an encouraging performance on Wednesday, defeating China's Wang Zheng Xing 21-11, 21-18 to start positively. 'It feels really good to win a match. I've been struggling on the court and off the court as well with injuries. I would not say injuries, but some niggles here and there which are keeping me away from badminton," he said. 'It's a little bit frustrating. The past few months have been a little bit frustrating. But yeah, again, I'm focused. I'm trying to do the right thing. And yeah, really happy with the win today." Recently, Sen was troubled by a back issue that forced him to retire mid-match against Lin Chun-Yi at the Singapore Open. When asked if the recurring niggles affected his mindset, Sen replied, 'Yes, I think it was there. Especially before the match, even closing in the second set where it was close. I mean, it was back in my mind. But yeah, I was just trying to fight my thoughts and also the opponent. 'So yeah, happy with the way I played today. Looking forward to the next match, one match at a time." What's Next For Lakshya Sen? Regarding his goals for the upcoming weeks, Sen said, 'Yes, the World Championships are just around the corner and I've been preparing well for it. 'For me now, the most important thing is I've trained well in the last few months. I've done everything in training. So now it's just about winning more matches and be more competitive, be sharp until the World Championships. 'I have a few good tournaments to just keep going and then good 2-3 weeks of preparation before the World Championships." Speaking about his preparation for the Japan Open, Sen revealed he had been dealing with shoulder and ankle issues in recent months. 'I think I've been training well. But yeah, there were some injuries – with the shoulder and also the ankle. So I was doing everything possible to protect the injured parts. 'Just hoping that I get back to winning ways and try and get more matches under my belt now." view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The 42
an hour ago
- Sport
- The 42
'You have to level up' - the curse and blessing of running in a golden era for women's hurdles
SARAH LAVIN SOMETIMES tells her parents that she wishes she was born a few years earlier. It's all in jest, of course, but there's a veneer of truth behind the joke. Lavin is the queen of women's hurdles in Ireland. She took the crown from Derval O'Rourke at the 2023 World Championships when she blasted through the 100m hurdles semi-final in a time of 12.62. It was a milestone moment for her. A long-term target. But her literal best performance was not enough to see her through to the final on that occasion. The upside for Lavin is that her career coincides with a golden period for women's hurdles. The downside for Lavin is that her career coincides with a golden period for women's hurdles. 'The greatest who have ever done women's sprint hurdles are all around in this era now,' Lavin says, summing up the challenge she faces every time she steps on the track. 'The records that were there in the 80s are gone. So many of us are national record holders and the best who have ever done it from our country. The world record holder, the European record holder, the Olympic record holder and the world indoor record holder . . . everyone is in this cohort. 'And when you bring them all together, it means mad stuff is happening timewise. You have to level up.' Advertisement It was a similar scenario for Lavin at the European Indoor Championships in March. She clocked a season's best of 7.92 in the final of the 60m hurdles, which was good enough for fourth. Switzerland's Mujinga Kambundji set a European record of 7.67 to take gold, while Nadine Visser broke the Dutch national record to win the silver medal in 7.72. Pia Skrzyszowska of Poland clinched third in 7.83. 'Who's happy with fourth?' Lavin told RTÉ's David Gillick after the race. 'It's not the end of the world in the fastest European race ever. Last year I was in the fastest world final ever.' The World Championships in Tokyo are the main goal for Lavin in 2025, and the good news is that qualification is already assured for the Limerick athlete. The bad news is that the bar remains nauseatingly high. She ran a season's best of 12.76 in the 100m hurdles at the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava last month. She also won the 100m hurdles at the European Team Championships in Slovenia in a time of 12.82. But she knows that 12.5 is the aim if she wants to make the final in Japan. 'It's not beyond my realm of possibility, but again, you could also run 12.5 and not make it,' she adds. Along with chasing the clock, Lavin has been working on some technical aspects that have been affecting her performance. The first hurdle has been particularly problematic for her. At the World Indoor Championships in China, she failed to reach the final after clipping the first barrier. 'It's clear as day to anyone sitting on the couch, whether you know anything about it or not, that that's an area I could definitely improve on. 'We really tried to zone in on that. The biggest thing I'm trying [to do is] get up to speed sooner in my race between hurdle one and two, to increase my flight times to get under the 0.33 of a second that you're in the air.' Lavin has also been sampling relay running to help with preparation for Tokyo. Along with Sarah Leahy, Ciara Neville and Lauren Roy, she ran the fourth leg of the 4x100m at the European Athletics Team Championships in Slovenia. Together, they clocked 43.97 to come third. 'Relay running is really good to work on your flat speed which is obviously really crucial and probably my my biggest strength when it comes to the hurdles,' she continues. 'We're trying to hold on to those strengths and then tidy up a few of the technical things like the the hurdle crossovers.' Lavin will compete in the relay again at the London Diamond League this weekend. The National Championships will then come into view on the August Bank Holiday weekend where she is contemplating the 200m or 100m along with the hurdles to get into Tokyo mode where she will be racing on back-to-back days. Everything is geared towards 14 and 15 September. 'Record,' she responds when asked what would be a good World Championships in her book. 'I can't control what anyone else is going to do but if I run quicker than I've done before, that's something that I can't but be proud of.' Sarah Lavin was speaking at an event to announce Spar and Eurospar as official retail partners to the Olympic Federation of Ireland and Paralympics Ireland
News18
an hour ago
- Sport
- News18
Satwik-Chirag Hope To Stay Fit: 'Once He's Better, I'll Have Some Niggles...'
Last Updated: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy is focused on staying fit ahead of the World Championships. Despite recurring injuries, Satwik and Chirag Shetty have reached three semifinals this season. Top Indian shuttler Satwiksairaj Rankireddy is relieved to see positive results on the court despite recurring injury setbacks and stated that the focus ahead of next month's World Championships is on staying fit, without any long-term goals in mind. Satwik and Chirag Shetty have reached three semifinals this season, including a quarterfinal finish at the Indonesia Open last month. After semifinal runs at the Malaysia Open and India Open in January, the Indian duo was sidelined for several weeks due to Satwik's health concerns and Chirag's persistent back injury. They returned to the circuit with a semifinal appearance at the Singapore Open and a quarterfinal showing in Indonesia. On Wednesday, the former world No. 1 pair began their Japan Open Super 750 campaign with a comfortable 21-18, 21-10 win over Korea's Kang Min Hyuk and Kim Won Ho. What Did Satwik Say? 'For us, it's to get fit 100%. It's always up and down. Once he's better, I'll have some niggles. Once I'm better, he's having some niggles. So we haven't played without injury from past one year. So we have been struggling with niggles," said Satwik. 'Still, we are managing to play some good quality games. So that is a positive side. But right now, our aim is to get injury-free and be healthy all the time." The Japan Open will be followed by the China Open Super 1000 before the top players head to Paris for the World Championships, scheduled from August 25 to 31. 'Just not thinking so much ahead. No goals as of now. Obviously, we want to do well, but at the same time, we want to be healthy," Satwik added. 'And once we are healthy, I know we can do that. So the only thing is injuries are holding us, restricting our game. But right now, we are both feeling good because we had a break after Singapore. Both are really fit enough, so we'll see how it goes." What Did Chirag Say? Chirag echoed Satwik's sentiments and said the break after the Indonesia Open was essential for recovery. 'No, it was actually needed. So we had sent entry for US, Canada as well. But after Singapore and Indonesia, we needed that break because I especially was not fit enough," the Mumbai shuttler said. 'I think leading up to the Singapore-Indonesia Open. But right now, I had some good couple of weeks. So body feels much better than it was. We just took a break the first week after we got back, freshened up. And then got back to practice. 'I was out for post-All England. I had to withdraw. And then for two months, I was out. Not really fit going into Singapore-Indonesia, but now it's a lot better." (With inputs from PTI) First Published: July 16, 2025, 20:42 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
