PV Sindhu seeded ninth, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty fifth for BWF World Championships
Former champion PV Sindhu is set to be the ninth seed in the women’s singles event at the BWF World Badminton Championships 2026. The tournament is scheduled to take place at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi from August 17 to 23. India‘s highest-seeded entry in the championships will be the men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who have secured the fifth seed.
Lakshya Sen, a former World Championships bronze medallist, is seeded 14th in men’s singles. In mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and Olympian Tanisha Crasto are the 15th seeds. India will feature two entries in each of the five badminton disciplines at the home World Championships, with at least one seeded contender in four of these disciplines.
Indian Shuttlers’ Paths and Challenges
The draw ceremony, conducted on Wednesday, revealed the initial matchups for the participants. Most top shuttlers are expected to have relatively straightforward first-round matches, with high-profile encounters anticipated in later rounds. However, India‘s Ayush Shetty faces a significant challenge in the opening round, as he is set to compete against World No 1 and defending champion Shi Yu Qi from China.
This matchup was a key talking point after the draw ceremony, especially considering Shi Yu Qi had previously defeated Ayush Shetty in the final of the Asian Championships. Despite Ayush Shetty‘s struggles to find rhythm since that match, Shi Yu Qi has also been described as not being at his best, potentially setting the stage for a thrilling Round of 64 encounter.
Pullela Gopichand, India‘s national chief coach, commented on the draw, stating that a first-round meeting against Shi Yu Qi could be beneficial for Ayush Shetty. He believes that if Ayush Shetty, known for his attacking style, wins this match, it could open up the draw for him. U Vimal Kumar, who oversees the training of Ayush Shetty and Lakshya Sen at the Centre for Badminton Excellence (CBE), expressed hope that Ayush Shetty could draw inspiration from Loh Kean Yew‘s performance in the 2021 edition in Huelva, Spain, where Loh Kean Yew, an unseeded player, defeated the No 2 seed and went on to win the title.
For PV Sindhu, the early rounds appear winnable. If she maintains her form and avoids an upset, she could potentially face China‘s Wang Zhi Yi in the women’s singles Round of 16. Sindhu had previously defeated Wang Zhi Yi in the last edition of the championships and is currently pursuing a record sixth medal.
Lakshya Sen‘s path is similar to Sindhu‘s, with seemingly easy opening two rounds. His significant challenge is expected in the Round of 16, where he might encounter No 2 seed Kunlavit Vitidsarn of Thailand.
Doubles Teams and Tournament Significance
The men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are making a return after Rankireddy‘s injury issues. They have managed to avoid familiar rivals until at least the quarter-final stage. India doubles coach Tan Kim Her confirmed that Satwiksairaj Rankireddy has recovered and is ready for the competition, despite the potential impact of a lack of match practice.
In mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crastro are likely to face their first major test from the Round of 16. The women’s doubles combination of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, despite a challenging season, will compete against Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez of Spain in Round 1, having recently found some success at the Philippine International Challenge.
The return of the BWF World Championships to India after a 17-year gap underscores the event’s importance. The country last hosted the event in 2009 at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad. Pullela Gopichand expressed his enthusiasm for the championships returning, noting that India has evolved significantly as a sporting nation since 2009. He highlighted the emergence of multiple Indian players across various events, contrasting it with the limited representation in the past. Gopichand is optimistic about India‘s chances of securing multiple podium finishes in the upcoming tournament.
The significance of the World Championships is also evident in the participation of top international players. Anders Antonsen, a leading player from Denmark, who had previously skipped the last three editions of the India Open due to pollution concerns, is set to compete in New Delhi. Another Danish player, Mia Blichfeldt, who had previously voiced concerns about conditions at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in January, will also be returning with high aspirations, reflecting the prestige of the competition. The organisers have stated that the stadium has undergone a massive overhaul in preparation for the event.
Source: newsonair.gov.in
