On Sunday (July 19) morning, when the nation was still waking up, badminton fans across India were tuned in to cheer for P.V. Sindhu as she fought for her maiden Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 750 title. The BWF World No. 10 defeated the home favourite Akane Yamaguchi (World No. 3) in straight games, 21-17, 21-17. Sindhu also became the first Indian to win the Japan Open title.
Sindhu’s title win comes after a gap of almost two years, as her last triumph came in the Syed Modi International in 2024. This success has rekindled the hopes for Indian Badminton as it prepares for the World Championships to be held from 17 to 23 August at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi. Alongside P.V. Sindhu, the former world no. 1 men’s doubles combo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty (Sat-Chi), and a plethora of young blood, including Lakshya Sen, will represent India.
A peek into the Indian contingent:
P.V. Sindhu, in women’s singles, will enter the court with the form she gained from the Japan Open behind her. Meanwhile, for the 18-year-old Unnati Hooda, who once defeated P.V. Sindhu at the China Open Super 1000, it will be her debut World Championship. Known for her attacking game, she will face the court with her title wins from the 2026 Polish Open and 2025 Odisha Masters behind her.
India’s poster boy from the last Summer Olympics, Lakshya Sen, who recently reached the finals of the All England Open 2026 and won the Australian Open, will represent India’s men’s singles alongside Ayush Shetty. The US Open 2026 winner and Badminton Asia Championships 2026 silver medallist Ayush Shetty will have his debut World Championships.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, popularly known as ‘Sat-Chi’, the current World No. 4, have been India’s most consistently performing men’s doubles combo. Known for their aggressive game plans, Sat-Chi have won bronze twice in the 2022 and 2023 editions of the World Championships, and the fans will bank on Sat-Chi to win the coveted title this time. However, the duo retired after the opening game of their Japan Open match as Rankireddy sustained a shoulder injury. They told the media that they would now contest directly at the World Championships.
Hariharan Amsakarunan and M.R. Arjun, who have shone well in Super 100 and Challenger events, are also India’s men’s doubles pair in the event. They have also showcased impressive performances by reaching the quarter-finals of the Indonesia Open Super 1000, the Malaysia Masters, the Australian Badminton Open, and the Orleans Masters.
Having maintained a steady presence in the BWF World Tours, the duo of Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila, now in the top 25 world rankings, has been India’s leading mixed doubles pair over the last two years. Joining alongside them is the duo of Rohan Kapoor and G.R. Shivani, who reached the Round of 16 at the recent Indonesia Open Super 1000.
