There are champions, and then there are enduring legends. Pramod Bhagat belongs firmly in the latter category. In a career that has now spanned nearly two decades at the highest level, the Indian para-badminton icon has once again rewritten history. At the BWF Para Badminton World Championships in Manama, Bahrain, Bhagat clinched his sixth men’s…
Badminton is stepping into what could be the most defining commercial and structural phase in its modern history. With the Badminton World Federation (BWF) extending its long-term partnership with Infront from 2027 to 2034, the sport is preparing for a comprehensive overhaul not just in tournament formats, but in broadcast production, prize money structures, digital…
The Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) 2027–2030 World Tour calendar has been officially unveiled, and while it signals a new era of commercial expansion and structural refinement globally, it presents a mixed outlook for Indian badminton. The India Open will continue as a Super 750 tournament in New Delhi, but the overall number of top-tier international…
India’s mixed doubles pair of Sathwik Reddy Kanapuram and Radhika Sharma captured the title at the Azerbaijan International Challenge, surviving a tense three-game final to defeat Serbia’s Mihajlo Tomic and Andjela Vitman 24-22, 10-21, 24-22. The victory capped a demanding week in which the Indian duo navigated multiple tight contests to lift the trophy. The…
Devika Sihag’s remarkable run on the international circuit gathered further momentum as the Indian shuttler captured the women’s singles title at the Azerbaijan International Challenge, defeating compatriot Navya Kanderi 21-10, 21-13 in a commanding final. Fresh from her title-winning performance at the Thailand Masters, Devika arrived in Azerbaijan brimming with confidence and she translated that…
India’s run at the Badminton Asia Team Championships came to a halt in the quarterfinals after a 0–3 defeat to a formidable Chinese side. Up against one of the tournament favourites, the Indian women fought hard but were unable to breach China’s depth and consistency in Qingdao. Having navigated the group stages with competitive performances,…
The Indian challenge at the Badminton Asia Team Championships, BATC 2026now moves into the knockout phase, with the women’s team set to face China and the men drawn against Korea in Thursday’s quarterfinals in Qingdao. Both Indian teams reached the last eight after finishing second in their respective groups, following narrow 3–2 defeats in their…
India’s men’s team suffered a narrow 2–3 defeat against Japan in their second Group Stage encounter of the Badminton Asia Team Championships 2026, but the result did little to overshadow the grit and competitiveness displayed by the young Indian side. Despite the loss, India had already secured qualification for the quarterfinals, and the closely contested…
India’s women’s team endured a testing evening at the Badminton Asia Team Championships 2026 in Qingdao, going down 2–3 to Thailand in their final Group Y tie but still progressing to the quarterfinals as group runners-up. In a contest that swung dramatically after a strong Indian start, the tie underlined both the promise and the…
India’s men and women produced sharply contrasting but equally effective performances on the opening day of the Badminton Asia Team Championships, BATC 2026, with both teams confirming their progression to the quarterfinals after winning their respective group openers on Wednesday. While the Indian women’s team cruised past Myanmar with a dominant 5–0 sweep, the men…
India’s men’s badminton team produced a performance of grit, nerve and depth to secure qualification for the quarterfinals of the Badminton Asia Team Championships 2026, edging past a dangerous Singapore side 3–2 in a tense group-stage encounter that went down to the final match. Against a team widely viewed as one of the tournament’s dark…
Defending champions India could not have scripted a more emphatic start to their Badminton Asia Team Championships 2026 campaign, as the women’s team swept aside Myanmar 5–0 in their Group Y opener at the Qingdao Conson Gymnasium. With crisp singles performances and ruthless efficiency in doubles, the Indian team sealed qualification for the quarterfinals at…
The Yonex–Sunrise India Open 2026, a BWF Super 750 event held at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi from January 14 to 18, was expected to be a celebration of Indian badminton at home. With a prize purse of USD 950,000 and a packed field of the world’s elite, the tournament offered India…
When Devika Sihag walked onto the court at the Thailand Masters in early 2026, she wasn’t carrying the reputation of a superstar. She was carrying something far more dangerous momentum. Within a week, she would leave Bangkok having dismantled top-20 opponents, forced her way into a Super 300 title, and signalled that Indian women’s singles…
India’s bid to defend their crown at the Badminton Asia Team Championships 2026 begins under very different circumstances from two years ago. When the women’s team created history in Malaysia in 2024 by winning their first-ever continental team gold, it was powered by the presence of P. V. Sindhu, the heartbeat of Indian badminton for…
Indian badminton witnessed the arrival of a new force as 20-year-old Devika Sihag produced a flawless campaign to lift her maiden BWF World Tour Super 300 title at the Princess Sirivannavari Thailand Masters. In a week that will be remembered as a defining chapter in her young career, the Haryana shuttler did not drop a…
When 20-year-old Devika Sihag stepped onto the court at Bangkok’s Nimibutr Stadium for the Thailand Masters Super 300 final, few could have predicted she was about to rewrite Indian badminton history. But that’s exactly what happened on February 1, 2026, when Devika became only the third Indian woman—after legends Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu—to win…
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…
Indian badminton’s rising generation announced itself in emphatic fashion on Friday as 20-year-old Devika Sihag produced the biggest victory of her young career, knocking out top seed and world No.16 Supanida Katethong in straight games to storm into the semi-finals of the Thailand Masters Super 300. Ranked 63 in the world, Sihag defeated the home…
Indian women’s badminton enjoyed a memorable day at the Thailand Masters 2026 as Devika Sihag and Isharani Baruah delivered two high-quality performances to storm into the quarterfinals, knocking out higher-ranked and seeded opponents in the process. In a tournament that has already seen several Indian players test the best on the BWF World Tour, these…
Tharun Mannepalli delivered one of the most courageous and composed performances of his young career as he battled past Chinese Taipei’s Ting Yen-Chen to storm into the quarterfinals of the Thailand Masters 2026, a BWF Super 300 tournament in Bangkok. In a gruelling 78-minute contest that tested both physical endurance and mental strength, the Indian…
India’s singles contingent produced a mixed but encouraging set of results on the opening full day of the Thailand Masters Super 300 in Bangkok, with Kiran George, Mithun Manjunath, Tharun Mannepalli and Anmol Kharb all advancing to the second round, while several other Indians bowed out after hard-fought contests. In the men’s singles, seventh seed…
The Tsingtao Badminton Asia Team Championships 2026 will be staged from February 3–8 in Qingdao, China, and for India it arrives with unusually high stakes. The women’s team travel as defending champions, having lifted their maiden continental crown in 2024, while the men’s side still defined by the legacy of their historic Thomas Cup triumph…
A new crop of Indian badminton players will step into the international spotlight this week as the Thailand Masters Super 300 gets underway in Bangkok, offering a timely early-season proving ground for the country’s emerging stars. With a prize purse of USD 250,000 and valuable ranking points on offer, the tournament presents a vital platform…
The international badminton calendar was jolted on January 24, 2026, when the Badminton World Federation (BWF) confirmed that the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) had relinquished its hosting rights for the 2026 BWF World Junior Championships. What was initially expected to be a routine organisational shift has instead revealed a much deeper structural crisis within the…
The Indonesia Masters 2026 ended in disappointment and controversy for Indian badminton as both P. V. Sindhu and Lakshya Sen crashed out at the quarterfinal stage, bringing India’s campaign in Jakarta to a premature close. While Lakshya’s defeat came in the form of a hard-fought upset, Sindhu’s exit was overshadowed by one of the most…
When Saina Nehwal formally drew the curtain on her playing career in early 2026, Indian sport did not just lose a former World No.1 it marked the end of an era that fundamentally altered what Indian badminton believed was possible. Medals and rankings tell only part of the story. Saina’s true legacy lies in a…
PV Sindhu once again underlined her enduring class and competitive fire at the Indonesia Masters 2026, as she defeated Denmark’s Line Højmark Kjærsfeldt in straight games to book a place in the quarterfinals. The 21–19, 21–18 victory, achieved in 42 intense minutes in Jakarta, was significant for more than just progression in a Super 500…
Lakshya Sen continued his impressive run at the DAIHATSU Indonesia Masters 2026 by storming into the quarterfinals with a dominant straight-games victory over Hong Kong’s Jason Gunawan. The Indian shuttler produced a clinical performance to win 21–10, 21–11, underlining his growing confidence and form as the Super 500 tournament in Jakarta moves into its business…
The opening round of the DAIHATSU Indonesia Masters 2026 delivered a powerful snapshot of where Indian badminton stands in early 2026 a mix of resilience, heartbreak, promise and the growing depth of the women’s singles pipeline. While PV Sindhu once again showed why she remains India’s most reliable performer on the World Tour, the results…
The DAIHATSU Indonesia Masters 2026 produced a dramatic and emotionally charged Round of 32 for Indian badminton, one that perfectly captured the two contrasting phases of Indian men’s singles right now the resilience of the veterans and the restless search for stability among the next generation. While Kidambi Srikanth rolled back the years with a…
Lakshya Sen produced a performance that was as much about resilience as it was about skill as he fought his way into the Round of 16 of the Daihatsu Indonesia Masters 2026. Up against Chinese Taipei’s Wang Tzu Wei in the opening round, the Indian shuttler was forced to dig deep before finally prevailing 21–13,…
At a stage of his career where questions often outweigh expectations, Kidambi Srikanth delivered a stirring reminder of his resilience and competitive fire at the DAIHATSU Indonesia Masters 2026. In the men’s singles Round of 32, the former world number one produced a hard-fought, energy-sapping victory over Japan’s Koki Watanabe, winning 21–15, 21–23, 24–22 to…
The India Open has long been regarded as one of the flagship events on the BWF World Tour, a tournament that reflects India’s growing stature in global badminton. Traditionally staged in New Delhi, it has hosted Olympic champions, world number ones, and some of the sport’s most memorable matches. The 2026 edition, held from January…
The India Open has traditionally been one of the crown jewels of the BWF World Tour. Held annually in New Delhi, it has showcased some of the finest badminton talent in the world and helped establish India as a growing powerhouse in the sport. The 2026 version of the competition, which took place from January…
When Saina Nehwal confirmed her retirement from competitive badminton in January 2026, it felt less like the end of a career and more like the closing of a defining chapter in Indian sport. There was no grand farewell match or emotional press conference. Instead, the announcement came quietly, almost matter-of-factly, much like the grit-driven personality…
Indian badminton enters its third consecutive week on the international circuit with a strong sense of urgency as the Indonesia Masters Super 500 gets underway in Jakarta from January 20 to 25. After a demanding stretch that included the Malaysia Open and the India Open, the spotlight now shifts to the iconic Istora Senayan, a…
India’s campaign at the YONEX-SUNRISE India Open 2026 came to an end on Friday after Lakshya Sen fell in a hard-fought three-game quarterfinal against Chinese Taipei’s Lin Chun-Yi at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. In a contest decided by fine margins and shifting court conditions, Sen went down 21-17, 13-21, 18-21, bringing the curtains down…
Badminton is on the brink of one of its most significant regulatory shifts in decades. With the Badminton World Federation (BWF) expanding the trial of the 25-second time clock system at the 2026 Indonesia Masters, the sport is moving decisively away from subjective officiating toward objective, time-based standardization. What may appear, at first glance, to…
India’s women’s singles challenge at the Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2026 came to an end on Thursday, but Malvika Bansod’s performance against China’s Han Yue offered valuable insight into where the young Indian stands in her development curve. Facing the fifth seed and one of the most consistent players on the BWF World Tour, Malvika went…
Lakshya Sen delivered a statement performance on home soil as he surged into the quarterfinals of the BWF India Open Super 750, defeating Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto in straight games at the Indira Gandhi Stadium. In a high-quality Round of 16 encounter between two evenly matched top-15 players, Sen prevailed 21-19, 21-10 to become the first…
BWF World Tour 2027–2030: A Commercial Reset That Redefines Global Badminton The Badminton World Federation’s proposed World Tour structure for the 2027–2030 cycle signals the most far-reaching transformation in the professional game since the launch of the World Tour format itself. Far from a routine calendar reshuffle, the next quadrennial cycle represents a deliberate shift…
The opening round of the Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2026 delivered a telling snapshot of Indian women’s singles badminton at a crossroads, where promise and transition sat side by side. While 16-year-old Tanvi Sharma announced her arrival on the big stage with a fearless performance against China’s Wang Zhi Yi, former world champion PV Sindhu endured…
The Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2026 offered Indian badminton a timely reminder of the value of experience, as HS Prannoy rolled back the clock to produce one of his most assured performances in recent times. On a day when youth and promise were on display across courts in New Delhi, it was the 33-year-old from Kerala…
India’s Malvika Bansod continued her steady return to top-level badminton with a confident straight-games victory at the YONEX-SUNRISE India Open 2026, booking her place in the Round of 16 of the BWF Super 750 tournament. The 24-year-old, currently ranked World No. 50, overcame Chinese Taipei’s Pai Yu-Po (WR 65) 21–18, 21–19 in the Round of…
Former world No.1 Kidambi Srikanth reminded the badminton world of his enduring class and competitive resolve as he battled past compatriot Tharun Mannepalli in a gripping all-Indian Round of 32 encounter at the India Open 2026. In a contest that swung dramatically in momentum, Srikanth recovered from a game down to register a 15–21, 21–6,…
India’s top women’s doubles pair, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand Pullela, began their Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2026 campaign with a composed and convincing victory, underlining their growing assurance on the BWF World Tour as the Super 750 tournament got underway at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on Tuesday. The Syed Modi International champions dismantled Thailand’s…
Lakshya Sen began his Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2026 campaign in emphatic fashion, producing a controlled and confident straight-games victory over compatriot Ayush Shetty to move into the pre-quarterfinals of the Super 750 event in New Delhi. The 2022 champion needed just 36 minutes to seal a 21-12, 21-15 win in what was one of the…
The 2026 international para badminton season opens with the Egypt Para Badminton International in Cairo, a tournament that carries significance well beyond its status as the first stop on the calendar. Scheduled from January 13 to 18, the Grade 2 Level 2 event serves as an early benchmark for athletes navigating a fresh competitive cycle,…
The opening round of the India Open 2026 promises a compelling all-Indian showdown as Lakshya Sen vs Ayush Shetty in what is arguably the most intriguing first-round match of the Super 750 tournament. Beyond the immediate stakes of progression, this contest represents a deeper narrative within Indian men’s singles badminton, a meeting point between established…
