India Open Super 750 Kicks Off in New Delhi with Top Badminton Stars
The international badminton circuit arrives in New Delhi for the India Open Super 750, commencing on Tuesday. This prestigious event marks the second week of the 2026 season, with India’s premier players—PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, and men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty—taking center stage to establish their season’s momentum. The previous week at the Malaysia Open Super 1000 was challenging for most Indian participants, except for Sindhu, who reached the semifinals, and rising star Ayush Shetty, who displayed promising talent.
Winning a BWF title on home soil has proven elusive; since the India Open transitioned to a Super 750 tournament in 2023, no Indian player has secured victory, with only Satwik and Chirag reaching the finals. The competition remains fierce, as players outside the top eight seeds often face tough obstacles among the world’s elite. Despite the challenges, India’s leading athletes will benefit from the support of a fervent home crowd.
Venue Change and Format
This year’s tournament doubles as a preparatory event for the upcoming BWF World Championships in August, prompting a relocation to a newly revamped hall in the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex. The larger venue will be uncharted territory for all participants, adding a layer of unpredictability influenced by New Delhi’s winter winds.
Key Matches to Watch
Among the initial matchups, Lakshya Sen will face Ayush Shetty in what is expected to be a thrilling all-Indian confrontation. Sen leads their head-to-head record 2-0, training alongside Shetty at the same academy, making this contest particularly intriguing given the absence of coaching input during the match. Shetty enters the tournament with boosted confidence after a strong showing against world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi last week.
Veterans Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy also return to competitive play at the India Open after dealing with injuries that have pushed them out of the top 32 rankings. Srikanth is slated to meet Tharun Mannepalli, with Prannoy facing off against Lee Cheuk Yiu, a former finalist in Delhi. Success in their preliminary matches is crucial for both players to regain momentum in the competitive circuit.
P.V. Sindhu is looking to build on her semifinals appearance at the Malaysia Open by overcoming her first opponent, Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh. However, the potential for a rematch against world No. 2 Wang Zhi Yi looms in the second round, adding pressure as Sindhu seeks to leverage her past successes against Wang, including a critical win during her World Championship triumph.
Strong Representation Across Categories
India’s representation in women’s and mixed doubles is robust, with six pairs in women’s doubles and four in mixed doubles. This breadth of participation—though not always correlated with success—gives younger players invaluable experience in high-stakes matches.
The full roster of Indian players competing includes:
- Men’s Singles: Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy, Tharun Mannepalli
- Men’s Doubles: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty, MR Arjun/Hariharan Amsakarunan
- Women’s Singles: PV Sindhu, Malvika Bansod, Tanvi Sharma
- Women’s Doubles: Treesa Jolly/Gayatri Gopichand, Rutaparna Panda/Swetaparna Panda, Gayatri Rawat/Mansa Rawat, Priya Konjengbam/Shruti Mishra, Kavipriya Selvam/Simran Singhi, Ashwini Bhat/Shikha Gautam
- Mixed Doubles: Dhruv Kapila/Tanisha Crasto, Rohan Kapoor/Ruthvika Shivani Gadde, Ashith Surya/Amrutha Pramuthesh, Dhruv Rawat/Maneesha K
Broadcast Information
Fans can watch the tournament on Eurosports in India, with additional coverage available on the BWF’s YouTube channel.
Special Credits: Image Courtesy of Espn
