Rising Indian badminton talent Unnati Hooda attributes her rapid progress to her father, Upkar Hooda, who left his job to mentor her full-time.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, are set to feature top athletes across various disciplines. This preview highlights key contenders like swimmers Pan Zhanle, javelin throwers Haruka Kitaguchi and Arshad Nadeem, badminton star An Se-young, gymnastic sensation Carlos Yulo, tennis prodigy Alexandra Eala, and the formidable Indian cricket teams, all poised to make a significant impact.
Satwik-Chirag face a 10-day Asian Games grind as the defending champions focus on fitness, injury prevention and workload management.
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.
Indian badminton prodigy Tanvi Sharma has secured her spot in the women's singles final of the Taipei Open Super 300 after a dominant straight-game victory. The 17-year-old will now compete for the title, continuing her impressive rise in the international badminton circuit.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met with Indian men's and women's hockey teams and officials to review their recent World Cup performance. He urged them to move past the disappointment, identify shortcomings, and focus on the upcoming Asian Games to secure qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics. The minister also discussed the future of the Hockey India League.
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.
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.
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.
Two-time Olympic and world champion Danish badminton player Viktor Axelsen has announced his retirement due to a persistent back injury.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu congratulated PV Sindhu on her Japan Open triumph, calling it a proud moment for Indian badminton. Sindhu secured her maiden Super 750 title by defeating Akane Yamaguchi in straight games, marking her biggest win since 2019.
Kidambi Srikanth ended his impressive run with a runner-up finish at the US Open Super 300 badminton tournament after going down fighting in three games to Chinese Taipei's Su Li-yang.
Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen secured a hard-fought victory against Collins Valentine Filimon in the opening round of the BWF World Championships, attributing his win to crucial tactical adjustments after losing the first game. He will now face Garret Tan of the USA.
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.
Two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu has reached her first Super 750 semifinal in nearly three years at the Japan Open after Nozomi Okuhara withdrew. She will now face Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yufei in the semifinals.
Indian badminton star PV Sindhu shares a heartfelt tribute to Carolina Marin, acknowledging their fierce rivalry and mutual respect after Marin's retirement due to a knee injury.
India's Ayush Shetty secured a spot in the Badminton Asia Championships final after defeating top seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn in a thrilling three-game match.
Top men's doubles player Chirag Shetty and veteran H. S. Prannoy share their perspectives on badminton's new 15-point format, approved by the BWF, discussing its potential impact on the game's dynamics and spectator experience.
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.
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.
'Crossing my fingers that it will be better in the summer when the World Championships take place in Delhi.'
P V Sindhu clinched her maiden Super 750 title at the Japan Open, defeating local favourite Akane Yamaguchi in a dominant performance that showcased her return to top form, ending a nearly two-year title drought and rekindling hopes for a record sixth World Championships medal.
Giant-killer Ayush Shetty on Monday described his stunning win over defending champion and world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi as "special", but was quick to stress that the job is far from done at the ongoing BWF World Championships.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu has reached her first final in over two years at the Japan Open after her opponent, Tokyo Olympics champion Chen Yufei, retired due to injury during their women's singles semifinal. Sindhu was leading the match when Chen pulled out, setting up a final clash against either Akane Yamaguchi or Putri Kusuma Wardani.
Seventeen Indian sportspersons, including World Cup winning chess player Divya Deshmukh, decathlete Tejaswin Shankar, and shuttler Gayatri Gopichand, have been named for the prestigious Arjuna Award for 2025.
India has opened its Asian Games medal tally with two silvers in shooting, driven by Elavenil Valarivan's performance, and secured an unexpected podium finish in Mixed Martial Arts. The women's cricket team also advanced to the finals, aiming for a second consecutive gold.
'Frankly, I'm in that zone for another Olympics.'
P V Sindhu secured the Japan Open women's singles title, defeating Akane Yamaguchi in straight games.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has announced its World Tour Calendar for 2027 and 2028, featuring a 35-tournament global circuit. The India Open Super 750 will see its dates shifted to February 2027 and January 2028, while the Syed Modi India International has been downgraded to a Super 100 event. The new calendar also introduces a 3x15 scoring system and extended competition windows to enhance player welfare and global reach.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has announced its World Tour Calendar for 2027 and 2028, featuring a 35-tournament global circuit. The India Open Super 750 will see its dates shifted to February 2027 and January 2028, while the Syed Modi India International has been downgraded to a Super 100 event. The new calendar also introduces a 3x15 scoring system and extended competition windows to enhance player welfare and global reach.
The central government has revamped the Khelo India Scheme's funding pattern, allocating a Rs 565 crore component for states to co-share the cost of future sports infrastructure development projects over a five-year plan. This new model, part of a Rs 29,054 crore outlay, aims to increase state ownership and participation in sports development, significantly expanding the scheme's reach and athlete base.
