Pramod Bhagat secured the men's SL3 gold medal at the BWF Para World Championships, defeating Muhammad Al Imran of Indonesia in straight games in the final.
Swedish badminton player Gustav Bjorkler shares his inspiring journey of returning to professional badminton after battling myelodysplastic syndrome, a form of blood cancer. He discusses the physical and mental challenges of recovery, losing 17 kilos, and his renewed perspective on life and the sport, as he aims to break into the top 100 and develop his game further.
India is set to host 11 international sporting events in the next six months, including the Badminton World Championships. The Sports Ministry has pledged to provide top-notch facilities, addressing previous criticisms of playing conditions, and is actively preparing for future Olympic bids.
Indian badminton stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, fresh off their China Masters victory, reveal their "no Plan B" philosophy, focusing on strengths and tactical adjustments. They attribute their success to improved physical condition post-World Championships and meticulous reviews, which helped them secure their 10th BWF World Tour title and boost confidence for the upcoming Asian Games.
Indian badminton stars Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu face challenging draws in the individual competitions at the Asian Games, while defending champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have a more favourable path to the semifinals. The individual events follow India's men's team securing a bronze medal. Players will need to overcome tough opponents to secure individual medals.
Two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu and young shuttler Ayush Shetty notched up straight-game wins to progress to the singles pre-quarterfinals.
The Badminton Association of India (BAI) is implementing the new BWF 3x15 scoring format across all domestic tournaments from this month. This change aims to familiarise Indian shuttlers with the revised system before its international adoption next year, impacting all age groups and national championships.
The Indian women's badminton team was eliminated from the Asian Games after a 1-3 loss to Japan in the quarterfinals. While the doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand secured a win, singles players PV Sindhu, Unnati Hooda, and Tanvi Sharma were defeated by their Japanese counterparts, leading to India's exit from the tournament.
Veteran Indian shuttler H S Prannoy discusses his likely final Asian Games appearance and his long-term Olympic aspirations for LA 2028. Doubles specialist Chirag Shetty urges the Indian men's badminton team to go for gold, reflecting on their previous silver medal and the team's strong cohesion.
Indian badminton players, including PV Sindhu and Unnati Hooda, were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Asian Games individual competitions, failing to secure any medals.
P V Sindhu and Lakshya Sen lead India's challenge at the Denmark Open Super 750, facing tough opening-round opponents. Sindhu is up against world No.1 An Se-young, while Sen takes on third seed Chou Tien Chen. Other Indian players like Kidambi Srikanth, Ayush Shetty, and doubles pairs also feature in the tournament, aiming for strong performances.
Kidambi Srikanth edged out Japan's Yudai Okimoto in a three-game thriller to progress to the men's singles final of the US Open Super 300 badminton championships in Fuller, United States.
India's top badminton players experienced a mixed day at the Japan Open. While PV Sindhu secured a comfortable win in her women's singles opener, the men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were forced to retire due to Rankireddy's recurring shoulder injury, impacting their preparations for the upcoming World Championships.
The Sports Ministry has removed para-shooting coach Jai Prakash Nautiyal from India's Para Asian Games contingent following allegations of kickbacks and protests from athletes. The contingent of 166 athletes and 109 support staff is set to compete in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, starting October 18, with several prominent Paralympians included despite selection controversies.
All India junior ranking medallists Tanvi Patri and Abhinav Garg will spearhead the Indian contingent at the Badminton Asia Junior (U-19) championships in Yatsushiro, Japan, from June 26 to July 5. The Badminton Association of India (BAI) is confident of a strong performance and multiple medals from the squad, which includes direct selections and players chosen through trials.
Indian badminton players experienced mixed results at the China Masters, with Kidambi Srikanth and Tanvi Sharma securing straight-game victories to advance to the second round. However, Lakshya Sen, a former world championships medallist, suffered an early exit after a disappointing performance against Canada's Victor Lai. Several Indian doubles pairs also saw varied outcomes in their opening matches.
The Indian women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand advanced to the quarterfinals of the Denmark Open Super 750 badminton tournament. Meanwhile, Kidambi Srikanth, despite a strong performance, was defeated in the pre-quarterfinals by reigning world champion Alex Lanier. Ashmita Chaliha also exited the women's singles event.
Young Indian badminton player Ayush Shetty discusses his experience at the Badminton Asia Championships, his loss in the final, and his plans for future improvement.
Lakshya Sen, a 2021 World Championships bronze medallist, faced a surprising second-round defeat to USA's Garret Tan at the BWF World Championships. Meanwhile, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and rising star Ayush Shetty successfully advanced to the pre-quarterfinals. Other Indian pairs also saw mixed results, with some progressing and others bowing out.
Rising Indian badminton talent Unnati Hooda attributes her rapid progress to her father, Upkar Hooda, who left his job to mentor her full-time.
Badminton legend Saina Nehwal has lauded PV Sindhu's significantly improved attacking game, stating that her Japan Open Super 750 victory demonstrates her enduring championship quality and potential for more titles, despite recent injury challenges.
India's Ayush Shetty defeated world No. 7 Lin Shi Feng at the Badminton Asia Championships, while PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy also advanced. Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth exited in the opening round.
Indian badminton stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty secured their maiden China Masters title, defeating China's He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu in the final. The world No. 5 pair attributed their success to improved physical condition and a consistent "Plan A" strategy, boosting their confidence for the upcoming Asian Games.
Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty caused a major upset on the opening day of the BWF World Championships by defeating world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi of China. Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu also comfortably advanced to the second round in women's singles, while other Indian doubles pairs, Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand and Hariharan Amsakarunan-MR Arjun, secured their spots in the next round.
Newly-crowned Taipei Open champion Tanvi Sharma and former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth will lead India's challenge at the Korea Masters Super 300 badminton tournament. Tanvi's recent historic win and Srikanth's return to full fitness set high expectations for the Indian contingent across singles and doubles categories.
Young Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty progressed to the men's singles quarterfinals of the Badminton Asia Championships, while PV Sindhu was eliminated from the women's event.
Top Indian shuttlers have received a mixed draw for the BWF World Championships in New Delhi, with PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen getting relatively favourable starts, while Asian Championships silver medallist Ayush Shetty faces a formidable opening round against defending champion Shi Yu Qi of China.
Indian badminton players, including P V Sindhu and Lakshya Sen, are set to compete in the French Open Super 750 tournament starting on Tuesday, aiming to overcome recent performance dips. Sindhu faces world No. 1 An Se Young, while Sen takes on Kodai Naraoka.
The Tokyo Games, originally scheduled to start in July this year, have been postponed to July 23-August 8, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will be followed by the Paralympic Games which will run from August 24-September 5.
Lakshya Sen faced an early exit from the China Masters after a straight-games defeat to Canada's Victor Lai, marking his third loss to the Canadian. Meanwhile, Kidambi Srikanth secured his spot in the second round by defeating Chi Yu Jen of Chinese Taipei. India's mixed doubles pair Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto also advanced.
India's top men's doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, faced a surprising early exit from the Asian Games badminton competition after losing to Thailand's Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Peeratchai Sukphun.
India commenced its Asian Para Games campaign with a spectacular performance, securing 11 medals, including four gold, across various sports on Monday. Notable victories came from shooter Mona Agarwal, long jumper Nishad Kumar, middle-distance runner Soumya, and javelin thrower Rinku, with archer Sheetal Devi also setting world records. The medal haul places India fourth in the overall standings.
Indian badminton players experienced mixed fortunes at the Asian Games. Men's doubles champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty faced a surprising early exit, losing to Thailand's Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Peeratchai Sukphun. However, the mixed doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila secured two consecutive wins to reach the quarterfinals. Women's doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also advanced, while Unnati Hooda moved to the second round in women's singles. Other Indian pairs faced defeats, and the team events saw the women's team miss a medal and the men's team secure bronze.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu has pulled out of the upcoming Badminton Asia Team Championships, dealing a major blow to Indian team's medal chances at the tournament beginning next week.
Former badminton coach Vimal Kumar expresses optimism about India's medal prospects at the upcoming Asian Games, suggesting they can surpass their previous tally of three. He stresses the critical need for Indian singles players, including Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty, to overcome inconsistencies and deliver under pressure. Kumar also highlights the challenges posed by the new 15-point format and the highly competitive nature of men's singles badminton.
Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra has announced he will not contest for a position on the Indian Olympic Association's Executive Board, despite being on the list of Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit eligible for the upcoming elections on December 5. Bindra also shared his views on India's performance at the recent Asian Games and the record-breaking success at the Asian Para Games.
Carolina Marin, a badminton legend, has announced her retirement due to a persistent knee injury, ending a career highlighted by an Olympic gold medal and three World Championship titles.
India produced another clinical performance against Sri Lanka in their Group H clash to inch closer to the knockout stages of the mixed team event of the BWF World Junior Badminton Championships.
Young Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty progressed to the men's singles quarterfinals of the Badminton Asia Championships, while PV Sindhu was eliminated in the women's event.
India's title defence in the women's team event came to a disappointing end after a 0-3 loss to a second-string China in the quarter-finals of the Badminton Asia Team Championships.
