India Open Super 750 Ends in Disappointment for Home Players
The India Open Super 750 badminton tournament concluded with a sobering reality for Indian fans. No home player managed to advance beyond the quarterfinals, marking a continuation of a worrying trend at this prestigious event. The tournament, held in New Delhi, faced significant organizational mishaps and player complaints, casting a shadow over the competition.
Organizational Woes and Player Struggles
Players and officials reported numerous issues at the venue, including poor air quality in the capital. These problems added to the challenges on the court. Since the India Open attained Super 750 status in 2023, Indian performances at the business end have been sparse. Only Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty reached the final in 2024 and the semifinal in 2025, while HS Prannoy made the semifinal in 2024.
This year, Lakshya Sen was the farthest-reaching Indian, but he fell in the quarterfinals. With the tournament serving as a dress rehearsal for the World Championships in August, the Badminton Association of India has much to address both in organization and player results.
Favorites Stumped by Conditions
Men's singles and men's doubles were seen as India's best chances for a deep run. Lakshya Sen showed flashes of brilliance in wins against Ayush Shetty and Kenta Nishimoto. However, he lost to Lin Chun-yi, marking his third consecutive defeat against the Taiwanese player over the past year.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty entered the tournament hoping to end their title drought from 2025. They faced a patchy performance against Hiroki Midorikawa and Kyohei Yamashita, losing to the agile Japanese pair. The Indian duo also dealt with a disrupted schedule, receiving a walkover in the first round and not playing a match until late Wednesday.
A common theme throughout the week was the challenging court conditions. A steady natural breeze inside the arena favored players with speed and sharp attacks. Many who lost cited an inability to control the shuttle and adapt quickly to the drift.
Veterans Show Fighting Spirit
Despite the overall disappointment, veterans Srikanth Kidambi and HS Prannoy displayed resilience. Srikanth secured a three-game win against training partner Tharun Mannepalli before falling to Frenchman Christo Popov. He expressed determination, stating, "I'm not playing just for the sake of playing. I want to do well and know that I can win against guys like Popov."
Prannoy, injury-free, produced a straight-games victory over last year's finalist Lee Cheuk Yiu and pushed former world champion Loh Kean Yew to three games. He noted that such matches help gauge one's level and restore confidence.
Bright Sparks Among the Gloom
A few young players provided moments of hope. In women's singles, Malvika Bansod returned from a nasty knee injury suffered at the Indonesia Open. She defeated Pai Yu Po and troubled World No.3 Han Yue, showing promise in just her second tournament back.
Seventeen-year-old Tanvi Sharma delivered arguably the most exciting Indian performance. Granted a last-minute entry, she pushed World No.2 Wang Zhiyi to three games before her fight fizzled out in the third. PV Sindhu, meanwhile, lost to Thuy Linh Nguyen for the third consecutive time, despite a semifinal appearance at the Malaysia Open earlier in the year.
The India Open Super 750 leaves the Indian badminton community with much to ponder. Organizational improvements and stronger player performances are urgently needed as the sport looks ahead to major events like the World Championships.
