Punjab Newsline,Sports :
Indian shuttlers get a big opportunity after top players withdraw; all-India clashes to be seen in the opening round
Rising Indian badminton player Tanvi Sharma and men’s singles shuttler M. Tharun Mannepalli have earned places in the main draw of the BWF India Open 2026. The opportunity came after several top international players withdrew on the eve of the tournament. In addition, women’s doubles national champions Ashwini Bhat K. and Shikha Gautam have also been promoted to the main draw.
Sixteen-year-old Tanvi Sharma, the silver medallist at the World Junior Championships, is set to make her India Open debut. Her entry into the women’s singles main draw was confirmed after Japan’s third seed and reigning world champion Akane Yamaguchi withdrew from the tournament. Yamaguchi had recently retired due to injury during her quarterfinal match against PV Sindhu at the Malaysia Open.
In the opening round, Tanvi will face China’s second seed Wang Zhi Yi. If she manages to pull off an upset, the teenager could set up a second-round clash with India’s star shuttler and two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu.
The men’s singles event is also expected to be special for Indian players. World No. 1 and reigning world champion Shi Yuqi of China has withdrawn from the India Open after retiring hurt in the Malaysia Open final. His compatriot Weng Hong Yang has also pulled out of the tournament. Following these withdrawals, M. Tharun Mannepalli has been promoted from the reserve list to the main draw.
With Tharun’s inclusion, the opening round of men’s singles will feature two all-India encounters. While Lakshya Sen will take on Ayush Shetty, Tharun will face experienced campaigner Kidambi Srikanth in the first round.
In women’s doubles, the Indian pair of Ashwini Bhat K. and Shikha Gautam will take on France’s Margot Lambert and Camille Pognante in the opening round.
Former world champion PV Sindhu and the top Indian men’s doubles duo of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy have said that performing well in front of home fans is always a special feeling. The significance of the tournament has increased further as the BWF World Badminton Championships 2026 are scheduled to be held at the same venue in August.
The Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2026, a BWF World Tour Super 750 tournament, will be held from January 13 to 18, 2026, at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi. The event is being seen as an important dress rehearsal for the upcoming World Championships, with matches taking place in a larger multi-purpose hall to offer fans an improved viewing experience.