Indian women’s badminton has a new name to celebrate. Devika Sihag, the 20-year-old national champion from Haryana, produced the performance of her young career on Saturday night in Bangkok, defeating Yu-Hsun Huang of Chinese Taipei in straight games to reach the final of the Thailand Masters Super 300 her first ever BWF World Tour final and one of the most significant Indian results of the 2026 season so far.
Ranked World No. 63, Sihag overcame the higher-ranked Huang (World No. 35) 22-20, 21-13 in a match that combined nerve, skill and fearless shot-making. The result not only took her into Sunday’s final against Goh Jin Wei of Malaysia, but also made her just the fifth Indian woman to reach a final at a Super 300 or higher BWF World Tour event.
More importantly, it confirmed that one of the most quietly impressive players on the domestic circuit has now announced herself on the international stage.
The comeback that changed everything
The defining moment of the semifinal came in the first game, when Sihag stared defeat in the face.
Huang, who has long been a consistent performer on the BWF Tour, looked to be cruising when she raced to a 20–15 lead. One more point would have given her the opener and likely the psychological edge in the match. What followed, however, was nothing short of extraordinary.
Sihag reeled off seven straight points a mix of tight net blocks, flat counter-attacks and brave baseline hitting to snatch the game 22–20. In elite badminton, such runs at game point are rare. At this level, players are trained to close out sets clinically. Sihag not only survived, she flipped the entire momentum of the contest.
From that moment on, the match belonged to her.
Control, confidence and composure
The second game showed how quickly Sihag is growing into top-level badminton. Rather than relaxing after the dramatic opener, she raised her level further. Her movement was sharper, her defense more secure, and her attacking intent clearer. Huang tried to push her into longer rallies, but Sihag was happy to engage, repeatedly turning defense into offense with flat drives and well-timed counter-smashes.
At 21–13, the result was emphatic.
What stood out was not just the scoreline but the way Sihag managed the match. There was no panic, no reckless over-attacking. She picked her moments, trusted her speed, and made Huang play one extra shot again and again the hallmark of a player who understands both the physical and tactical side of modern women’s singles.
A landmark for Indian women’s singles
With this victory, Devika Sihag becomes only the fifth Indian woman to reach the final of a Super 300 or higher BWF World Tour event a list previously featuring elite names such as P. V. Sindhu, along with a handful of younger trailblazers who have broken through in recent years.
Read Articles Without Ads On Your IndiaSportsHub App. Download Now And Stay Updated
She is also just the third Indian woman outside Sindhu and Saina Nehwal to reach a World Tour final outside India, after Malvika Bansod and Tanvi Sharma.
For a player who is still building her international ranking, the impact is immediate. This run will push her into the world’s top 50 for the first time, a crucial milestone that changes everything from entry into bigger tournaments to seeding, scheduling, and confidence.
From domestic champion to global contender
Sihag has been steadily climbing Indian badminton’s ladder. As the 2024 Indian national women’s singles champion, she already proved she can handle pressure at home. What this Thailand Masters run shows is that she can now translate that consistency to the international stage. Her route to the final was anything but easy. Along the way, she defeated higher-ranked players, including the top seed Supanida Katethong, and now Huang, both experienced tour professionals.
It is not just a lucky week. It is a sign that her game based on speed, tight net control, and compact attacking strokes — is well suited to the modern women’s singles circuit.
A final that changes perception
Sihag now faces Goh Jin Wei of Malaysia in the final, a former world junior champion who has also rebuilt her career after injury. On paper, the Malaysian is the favourite.
But that hardly matters anymore.
For Indian badminton, the significance lies in the fact that in the first World Tour final of 2026, it is not one of the established stars carrying the flag it is a 20-year-old national champion who many outside the domestic circuit barely knew a few months ago. That is how depth is built. That is how a sport grows.
Whether or not Sihag lifts the trophy, her run in Bangkok has already changed the narrative around her career. She is no longer a promising domestic player. She is now a World Tour finalist, a top-50 player, and one of the brightest new faces of Indian women’s badminton.
And this, by every measure, feels like just the beginning.
