New Delhi to host BWF World Championships, Indian shuttlers receive seeding
The BWF World Badminton Championships 2026 are set to take place at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi from August 17 to 23. This marks the return of the top-tier Grade 1 event to India after a gap of 17 years, with the country last hosting it in Hyderabad in 2009. The tournament draws significant attention, with many prominent shuttlers participating.
PV Sindhu, a former champion, has been seeded ninth in the women’s singles event. She is expected to have winnable early rounds and could potentially face China’s Wang Zhi Yi in the Round of 16, a rival she defeated in the previous edition of the championships. Sindhu is currently pursuing a record sixth medal.
Indian Shuttlers’ Seeding and Matchups
India’s highest-seeded entry in the championships is the men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who have secured the fifth seed. The duo will be returning to competition after injury issues for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy. According to India doubles coach Tan Kim Her, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy has recovered fully and is ready for the tournament. The pair has avoided familiar rivals until at least the quarterfinal stage.
In men’s singles, former world championships bronze medallist Lakshya Sen is seeded 14th. Similar to Sindhu, Lakshya Sen has relatively easy opening rounds on paper but could face a significant challenge in the Round of 16 against Thailand’s Kunlavit Vitidsarn, the second seed.
The mixed doubles pairing of Dhruv Kapila and Olympian Tanisha Crasto are the 15th seeds and may encounter their first real test from the Round of 16 stage. India will have two entries in each of the five badminton disciplines, with at least one seeded contender in four of them.
One notable matchup in the opening round will feature India’s Ayush Shetty against China’s Shi Yu Qi, the World No 1 and defending champion. This pairing was determined during the official draw ceremony. Pullela Gopichand, India’s national chief coach, believes that an early match against Shi Yu Qi could be beneficial for Ayush Shetty, potentially opening up the draw if he wins. U Vimal Kumar, who oversees Ayush Shetty’s training, hopes he can draw inspiration from Loh Kean Yew’s unseeded run in the 2021 edition.
Tournament Preparations and Expectations
Despite previous concerns regarding pollution and conditions at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, organizers have stated that the venue has undergone a significant overhaul. The importance of the World Championships has attracted many top shuttlers, including Anders Antonsen of Denmark, who had skipped previous editions of the India Open, and Mia Blichfeldt, another Danish player who had previously voiced concerns about the stadium.
Pullela Gopichand expressed his enthusiasm for the return of the World Championships to India, highlighting the country’s growth in the sport since it last hosted the event. He noted the emergence of multiple Indian players capable of challenging for podium finishes, a contrast to the 2009 event where Saina Nehwal and the mixed doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and V Diju narrowly missed out on medals. Indian shuttlers have consistently secured medals since the 2011 edition.
The women’s doubles combination of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, despite a challenging season, will enter the event after a recent positive performance at the Philippine International Challenge and are drawn against Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez of Spain in Round 1.
The tournament is scheduled to commence on August 17.
Source: newsonair.gov.in
