Indian shuttler Ashmita Chaliha has won her first BWF World Tour title, defeating China's Han Qian Xi in the women's singles final of the Korea Masters Super 300 tournament.
Ace Indian shuttler H S Prannoy came agonisingly close to pulling off a major upset before bowing out of the BWF World Championships with a gruelling second-round loss to world No. 2 Anders Antonsen of Denmark.
As New Delhi prepares to host the BWF World Championships from August 17-23, 2026, five young talents - Ayush Shetty, Unnati Hooda, Alwi Farhan, Tomoka Miyazaki, and Kalyana Nalbantova - are identified as potential breakout stars capable of challenging the sport's biggest names and redefining their careers.
New Delhi organisers are confident of delivering a 'world-class spectacle' for the upcoming Badminton World Championships, having addressed previous concerns regarding venue cleanliness, air quality, and animal control that marred the India Open earlier this year.
India will host the World Championships for the first time since 2009, with the event seen as a key test of the country's ability to deliver large-scale international tournaments as it eyes the 2036 Olympics.
Treesa Jolly called her World Championships bronze with Gayatri Gopichand a dream come true, made more special by ending India's 15-year medal wait on home soil.
Rising Indian badminton talent Unnati Hooda attributes her rapid progress to her father, Upkar Hooda, who left his job to mentor her full-time.
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.
Denmark's Mia Blichfeldt once again called out the "unacceptable" and "highly unprofessional" conditions at the ongoing India Open in New Delhi, saying it is "very difficult to see how a World Championship could be held here".
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.
Japanese badminton prodigy Tomoka Miyazaki, despite an early exit from the World Championships, is leveraging the experience to refine her game and challenge the sport's top players. Mentored by Akane Yamaguchi, the 20-year-old aims for consistent quarter-final appearances to test her skills against the world's best, while also appreciating her growing global fan base.
The Indian shuttlers will face Asian U-19 mixed team champions Indonesia in the semi-finals.
Badminton legend Saina Nehwal has expressed her openness to entering electoral politics in the future, stating her desire to contribute to India's development and continue serving the nation beyond her sporting career.
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.
Indian badminton pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand clinched a historic medal at the World Championships, defeating China's Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian in a thrilling quarter-final match. The unseeded duo fought back from a game down to win 16-21, 21-15, 21-13, assuring India of at least a bronze. This achievement marks India's first women's doubles medal at the event since 2011 and comes after Treesa's recent recovery from an ankle injury.
In women's singles, Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist and 2019 world champion, will have to recover from the shock defeat against fellow Indian Unnati Hooda at the China Open.
Ayush Shetty's coach, Sagar Chopda, believes that the Indian shuttler's challenging World Championships opener against world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi could work in his favour, citing Shi Yu Qi's recent form and the home crowd advantage.
Sindhu is the only Indian to feature in the women's singles competition.
Star Indian shuttlers P V Sindhu and H S Prannoy advanced to the second round of women's and men's singles competitions respectively with straight-game wins at the BWF World Championships in Paris on Tuesday.
Ayush Shetty notched up his first BWF World Tour title with a commanding straight-games victory over Canada's Brian Yang in the men's singles final of the US Open Super 300.
Indian badminton prodigy Tanvi Sharma, 17, secured her first BWF World Tour title by winning the women's singles at the Taipei Open Super 300. She defeated Vietnam's Thuy Linh Nguyen in straight games, showcasing her potential as a rising star in the sport.
World No. 4 badminton player Anders Antonsen has called for the India Open tournament to be moved from its traditional January-February slot due to severe winter pollution in New Delhi. He described the conditions as "insane" and "not pleasant to play in," causing a burning sensation and poor visibility. Antonsen believes the current time of year is much better for hosting such events.
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.
Indian shuttler Ashmita Chaliha has advanced to her maiden BWF World Tour singles final at the Korea Masters Super 300, defeating compatriot Rakshitha Ramraj. Chaliha, returning from injury, will now face China's Han Qianxi for the title, marking a significant achievement for Indian badminton.
Indian shuttler Ashmita Chaliha defeated compatriot Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj to reach her first-ever BWF World Tour final at the Korea Masters Super 300. Chaliha, returning from a knee injury, continued her impressive run, having previously upset the top seed.
World Junior Ch'ships: India off to flying start; Sri Lanka edge UAE in thriller
Indian badminton prodigy Tanvi Sharma, 17, secured her first BWF World Tour title by defeating Vietnam's Thuy Linh Nguyen in straight games at the Taipei Open Super 300, becoming the youngest champion in the tournament's history.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu was defeated by world No. 1 An Se Young at the Indonesia Open, marking her tenth consecutive loss to the Korean. Meanwhile, the Indian men's doubles pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun caused a significant upset, advancing to their first-ever BWF World Tour Super 1000 quarterfinals.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Thursday said it has reviewed the facilities at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, which is hosting the $950,000 India Open, and asserted that the venue meets all requirements for staging the World Championships in August.
Srikanth fought better in the second, but Yew was too good on the day, to emerge triumphant.
Indian badminton sensation Tanvi Sharma, 17, secured her first BWF World Tour title by defeating Vietnam's Thuy Linh Nguyen at the Taipei Open Super 300. Coached by Park Tae-sang, she became the first Indian woman to win the singles title there since Saina Nehwal in 2008, showcasing her rising talent and potential.
Two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu shocked World No. 2 Wang Zhi Yi of China to storm into the quarterfinals of the World Championships, in Paris on Thursday.
The India Open retained its Super 750 status despite the organisational issues this year but the Syed Modi International was downgraded from Super 300 to Super 100 as the country saw its share of events reduced from four to two in the Badminton World Federation's revamped schedule announced on Monday.
'Crossing my fingers that it will be better in the summer when the World Championships take place in Delhi.'
India's Ayush Shetty defeated world number 7 Lin Shi Feng of China in straight games at the Badminton Asia Championships, advancing to the second round.
Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal has urged the Badminton World Federation to exercise caution regarding proposed scoring changes, maintaining that the current 21-point system preserves the sport's essential intensity and endurance.
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.
Young Indian shuttler Rounak Chouhan continued his impressive run at the US Open badminton tournament, defeating Misha Zilberman to reach his first BWF World Tour Super 300 semifinal. Devika Sihag also advanced by upsetting third seed Riko Gunji, and former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth secured his spot in the semifinals, raising hopes for an all-India final.
Commonwealth Games champion Lakshya Sen continued to be the best-placed Indian at number seven while former world no. 1 Kidambi Srikanth gained a rung to the 11th position.
