India’s badminton campaign at the World Championships in New Delhi has produced contrasting results, with PV Sindhu advancing to the round of 16 while Lakshya Sen suffered a shock second-round exit.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, India’s only badminton world champion after winning the 2019 title, defeated Canada’s Michelle Li 21-16, 21-17 in 34 minutes. Sindhu, a ninth seed and five-time World Championships medallist, will now face a tough challenge against third seed Wang Zhiyi of China.

In men’s singles, Ayush Shetty continued his impressive run with a comfortable victory over Sri Lanka’s Viran Kumara, keeping India’s hopes alive in the draw.

However, home favourite Lakshya Sen suffered a major upset in the round of 32. The 2021 World Championships bronze medallist was defeated by 18-year-old American Alex Lanier in a dramatic three-game contest.

With Lakshya out, Ayush Shetty is now India’s only remaining men’s singles player at the tournament.

PV Sindhu Reaches World Championships Round Of 16 As Lakshya Sen Suffers Shock Exit

<p>The BWF World Championships 2026 are set to bring the world's best badminton players to New Delhi as India prepares to host the prestigious tournament for the second time. The 30th edition of the Badminton World Championships will be held from August 17 to 23, 2026, at the Indira Gandhi Arena in New Delhi. The week-long tournament will feature five events, men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles, with the competition progressing from the opening rounds to the finals over seven days.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to the latest draft schedule approved by the referee, the tournament will begin with staggered opening rounds on August 17 and 18. From August 19, the competition will move into the knockout stages, with the quarter-finals, semifinals and finals scheduled from August 21 onwards.</p><h2>BWF World Championships 2026: Key details</h2><ul><li>Tournament: BWF World Championships 2026</li><li>Dates: August 17 to August 23, 2026</li><li>Venue: Indira Gandhi Arena, New Delhi</li><li>Events: Men's Singles, Women's Singles, Men's Doubles, Women's Doubles and Mixed Doubles</li><li>Host country: India</li></ul><p><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-fear-no-revenge-ayush-shetty-s-mindset-ahead-of-bwf-world-championships-blockbuster-match-1786569721414"><strong>'No fear, no revenge': Ayush Shetty’s mindset ahead Of BWF World Championships blockbuster match</strong></a></p><h2>BWF World Championships 2026 full schedule</h2><h3>August 17: Opening round</h3><p>The tournament will begin with the Round of 64 in men's singles and women's singles, with the top half of the draws scheduled to compete. The men's doubles and women's doubles events will also get underway, with their Round of 48 matches taking place. The mixed doubles competition will similarly begin with Round of 48 action.</p><h3>August 18: Opening rounds continue</h3><p>The second day will feature the remaining half of the men's singles and women's singles Round of 64. The men's doubles and women's doubles competitions will continue, with the bottom half of their opening-round matches and the top half of the Round of 32 scheduled. Mixed doubles Round of 48 matches will also continue.</p><h3>August 19: Round of 32</h3><p>The tournament will move into the Round of 32 across all five disciplines. Men's singles, women's singles and men's doubles will feature Round of 32 matches, while women's doubles and mixed doubles will also progress through their respective Round of 32 fixtures.</p><h3>August 20: Round of 16</h3><p>The field will be reduced further on August 20, with Round of 16 matches scheduled in men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles. This will be the final round before the tournament enters the quarter-final stage.</p><h3>August 21: Quarterfinals</h3><p>The quarter-final stage will begin with all five disciplines in action. Quarterfinals will be contested in men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles as players and pairs battle for places in the semi-finals.</p><h3>August 22: Semifinals</h3><p>The semi-finals will take place across all five events. Men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles will all feature semi-final matches on August 22.</p><h3>August 23: Finals</h3><p>The BWF World Championships 2026 will conclude on August 23, with the finals scheduled across all five disciplines.</p><p>Champions will be crowned in men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles on the final day.</p><h2>BWF World Championships 2026: Indian players</h2><p>India will look to make the most of home advantage, with some of the country's leading shuttlers expected to feature across all five disciplines.</p><h3>Men's singles</h3><ul><li>Lakshya Sen</li><li>Ayush Shetty</li></ul><h3>Women's singles</h3><ul><li>PV Sindhu</li><li>Unnati Hooda</li></ul><h3>Men's doubles</h3><ul><li>Satwiksairaj Rankireddy / Chirag Shetty</li><li>Hariharan Amsakarunan / M.R. Arjun</li></ul><h3>Women's doubles</h3><ul><li>Treesa Jolly / Gayatri Gopichand Pullela</li><li>Kavipriya Selvam / Simran Singhi</li></ul><h3>Mixed doubles</h3><ul><li>Dhruv Kapila / Tanisha Crasto</li><li>Rohan Kapoor / Ruthvika Shivani Gadde</li></ul><p>The return of the World Championships to India is expected to generate major interest among badminton fans. With the tournament taking place in New Delhi, India's leading players will have the opportunity to compete at one of badminton's biggest global events in front of a home crowd.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen will be among the key names to watch in the singles events, while men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will carry significant expectations. India will also hope its emerging players and doubles combinations can make a strong impact as the tournament progresses.</p>

BWF World Championships 2026 schedule, dates, venue and Indian players. Check the full August 17-23 timetable for the New Delhi badminton event

The BWF World Championships 2026 are set to bring the world's best badminton players to New Delhi as India prepares to host the prestigious tournament for the second time. The 30th edition of the Badminton World Championships will be held from August 17 to 23, 2026, at the Indira Gandhi Arena in New Delhi. The week-long tournament will feature five events, men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles, with the competition progressing from the opening rounds to the finals over seven days. According to the latest draft schedule approved by the referee, the tournament will begin with staggered opening rounds on August 17 and 18. From August 19, the competition will move into the knockout stages, with the quarter-finals, semifinals and finals scheduled from August 21 onwards. BWF World Championships 2026: Key details Tournament: BWF World Championships 2026 Dates: August 17 to August 23, 2026 Venue: Indira Gandhi Arena, New Delhi Events: Men's Singles, Women's Singles, Men's Doubles, Women's Doubles and Mixed Doubles Host country: India Also Read: 'No fear, no revenge': Ayush Shetty’s mindset ahead Of BWF World Championships blockbuster match BWF World Championships 2026 full schedule August 17: Opening round The tournament will begin with the Round of 64 in men's singles and women's singles, with the top half of the draws scheduled to compete. The men's doubles and women's doubles events will also get underway, with their Round of 48 matches taking place. The mixed doubles competition will similarly begin with Round of 48 action. August 18: Opening rounds continue The second day will feature the remaining half of the men's singles and women's singles Round of 64. The men's doubles and women's doubles competitions will continue, with the bottom half of their opening-round matches and the top half of the Round of 32 scheduled. Mixed doubles Round of 48 matches will also continue. August 19: Round of 32 The tournament will move into the Round of 32 across all five disciplines. Men's singles, women's singles and men's doubles will feature Round of 32 matches, while women's doubles and mixed doubles will also progress through their respective Round of 32 fixtures. August 20: Round of 16 The field will be reduced further on August 20, with Round of 16 matches scheduled in men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles. This will be the final round before the tournament enters the quarter-final stage. August 21: Quarterfinals The quarter-final stage will begin with all five disciplines in action. Quarterfinals will be contested in men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles as players and pairs battle for places in the semi-finals. August 22: Semifinals The semi-finals will take place across all five events. Men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles will all feature semi-final matches on August 22. August 23: Finals The BWF World Championships 2026 will conclude on August 23, with the finals scheduled across all five disciplines. Champions will be crowned in men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles on the final day. BWF World Championships 2026: Indian players India will look to make the most of home advantage, with some of the country's leading shuttlers expected to feature across all five disciplines. Men's singles Lakshya Sen Ayush Shetty Women's singles PV Sindhu Unnati Hooda Men's doubles Satwiksairaj Rankireddy / Chirag Shetty Hariharan Amsakarunan / M.R. Arjun Women's doubles Treesa Jolly / Gayatri Gopichand Pullela Kavipriya Selvam / Simran Singhi Mixed doubles Dhruv Kapila / Tanisha Crasto Rohan Kapoor / Ruthvika Shivani Gadde The return of the World Championships to India is expected to generate major interest among badminton fans. With the tournament taking place in New Delhi, India's leading players will have the opportunity to compete at one of badminton's biggest global events in front of a home crowd. PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen will be among the key names to watch in the singles events, while men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will carry significant expectations. India will also hope its emerging players and doubles combinations can make a strong impact as the tournament progresses.

<p>BWF World Championships 2026 in New Delhi run August 17-23, featuring five events, India's top shuttlers and a week of world-class badminton</p>

BWF World Championships 2026: Full schedule, India’s top players, dates and venue

<p>On Monday (July 11), Lakshya Sen&nbsp;emerged on top of Li Shi Feng in straight games to win the Canada Open 2023, a BWF Super 500 tournament. It was a thrilling contest where the young Indian shuttler relied on his incredible speed and power to come on top of the reigning All England champion Feng 21-18 22-20 to clinch the title. Following this win, Lakshya has climbed up the ladder to take the 12th spot in the latest BWF Rankings.</p>

<p>Lakshya had dropped out of the top ten and later from the top 20 as well following his early exits from the&nbsp;Malaysia Open and India Open respectively, early this year. However, his position improved after a semi-final exit at the Thailand Open -- taking him back in the top 20 -- before a title win in the Canada Open saw him near the top ten.<br />
<br />
After his memorable win over Feng, the 21-year-old called it 'one of the greatest comebacks' in his career. It is to be noted that he saved as many as four game points in the second game to grab a championship point.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the match, Lakshya told PTI, "Coming into the Olympic qualification year, it was tough as things didn't go my way. So, this will be one of the good tournaments for me and playing the finals like that is for me one of the greatest comebacks." The Canada Open is the Indian star's maiden title after winning his first-ever gold medal during last year's Commonwealth Games in August. In addition, Lakshya is only the second singles player from the country to win a title this year after compatriot HS Prannoy's sensational triumph at the Malaysia Masters in May.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/main-guys-know-theyll-get-selected-gavaskar-takes-an-indirect-dig-at-rohit-kohli-ahead-of-wi-tests-614272">'Main guys know they'll get selected...': Gavaskar takes an indirect dig at Rohit, Kohli ahead of WI Tests</a></strong></p>

<h2><b>PM Modi lauds young Lakshya</b></h2>

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, lavished huge praise on Lakshya following his win over Feng in the Canada Open final.</p>

<p>"Congratulations to the talented @lakshya_sen on his outstanding victory at the Canada Open 2023! His triumph is a testament to his tenacity and determination. It also fills our nation with immense pride. My best wishes to him for his upcoming endeavours," PM Modi tweeted.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congratulations to the talented <a href="https://twitter.com/lakshya_sen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lakshya_sen</a> on his outstanding victory at the Canada Open 2023!<br />
<br />
His triumph is a testament to his tenacity and determination. It also fills our nation with immense pride. My best wishes to him for his upcoming endeavours. <a href="https://t.co/DqCDmNSbhk">pic.twitter.com/DqCDmNSbhk</a></p>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1678406544839397381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Lakshya entered the Canda Open final on the back of a straight-game win over Japanese player Kenta Nishimoto. With wins over Nishimoto and reigning All England champion Feng, the youngster will be in good stead going into the US Open Super 300 badminton tournament, which kicked off on Tuesday (July 11). Needless to say, Lakshya will be desperate to retain the momentum going forward and break into the top ten sooner than later.</p>

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On Monday (July 11), Lakshya Sen emerged on top of Li Shi Feng in straight games to win the Canada Open 2023, a BWF Super 500 tournament. It was a thrilling contest where the young Indian shuttler relied on his incredible speed and power to come on top of the reigning All England champion Feng 21-18 22-20 to clinch the title.

On Monday (July 11), Lakshya Sen emerged on top of Li Shi Feng in straight games to win the Canada Open 2023, a BWF Super 500 tournament. It was a thrilling contest where the young Indian shuttler relied on his incredible speed and power to come on top of the reigning All England champion Feng 21-18 22-20 to clinch the title. Following this win, Lakshya has climbed up the ladder to take the 12th spot in the latest BWF Rankings. Lakshya had dropped out of the top ten and later from the top 20 as well following his early exits from the Malaysia Open and India Open respectively, early this year. However, his position improved after a semi-final exit at the Thailand Open -- taking him back in the top 20 -- before a title win in the Canada Open saw him near the top ten. After his memorable win over Feng, the 21-year-old called it 'one of the greatest comebacks' in his career. It is to be noted that he saved as many as four game points in the second game to grab a championship point. After the match, Lakshya told PTI, "Coming into the Olympic qualification year, it was tough as things didn't go my way. So, this will be one of the good tournaments for me and playing the finals like that is for me one of the greatest comebacks." The Canada Open is the Indian star's maiden title after winning his first-ever gold medal during last year's Commonwealth Games in August. In addition, Lakshya is only the second singles player from the country to win a title this year after compatriot HS Prannoy's sensational triumph at the Malaysia Masters in May. Also Read: 'Main guys know they'll get selected...': Gavaskar takes an indirect dig at Rohit, Kohli ahead of WI Tests PM Modi lauds young Lakshya Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, lavished huge praise on Lakshya following his win over Feng in the Canada Open final. "Congratulations to the talented @lakshya_sen on his outstanding victory at the Canada Open 2023! His triumph is a testament to his tenacity and determination. It also fills our nation with immense pride. My best wishes to him for his upcoming endeavours," PM Modi tweeted. Congratulations to the talented @lakshya_sen on his outstanding victory at the Canada Open 2023! His triumph is a testament to his tenacity and determination. It also fills our nation with immense pride. My best wishes to him for his upcoming endeavours. pic.twitter.com/DqCDmNSbhk — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2023 × Lakshya entered the Canda Open final on the back of a straight-game win over Japanese player Kenta Nishimoto. With wins over Nishimoto and reigning All England champion Feng, the youngster will be in good stead going into the US Open Super 300 badminton tournament, which kicked off on Tuesday (July 11). Needless to say, Lakshya will be desperate to retain the momentum going forward and break into the top ten sooner than later. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

After Canada Open triumph, Lakshya Sen jumps seven spots to become world number 12 in BWF Rankings

<p>Prannoy HS, India`s only medal hope at the Japan Open, crashed out in the quarterfinals on Friday. The ace Indian shuttler fought valiantly against his Chinese Taipei opponent TC Chou, winning the second set, but eventually lost the game in a three-set thriller 17-21, 21-15, 22-20.</p>

<p>Playing in his consecutive quarterfinals, Prannoy sought redemption in the Japan Open, after crashing out in the quarterfinals of the BWF World Championships in August. Facing the sixth-ranked badminton player, the Indian skilled great badminton skills throughout the game, playing subtle net shots combined with ferocious body smashes.</p>

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<p>The scoreline of the first set may not suggest it, but it was a closely contested set with Chou managing to get himself together and managing his nerves. Chou made use of minute lapses of concentration in the set by the Indian, bagging the first set.</p>

<p>Not ready to throw in the towel yet, Prannoy came back with a bang in the second set, securing consecutive points early in the set. The Chinese Taipei player had no answers to the immaculate precision with which the Indian played.</p>

<p>Aggression mixed with accuracy served as the perfect recipe for the Indian to clinch the second set, levelling the game. In the third set, the audience was treated to an exceptional play of badminton with both the players desperate to advance to the semifinals.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-ukraines-marta-kostyuk-refuses-to-shake-hands-with-belarusian-victoria-azarenka-after-us-open-clash-512287" hreflang="en">WATCH: Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk refuses to shake hands with Belarusian Victoria Azarenka after US Open clash</a></p>

<p>Both of the players dived across the court to save points and were cheered on for each point they saved or scored. With the crowd behind them, the players reached a stage when they were both tied on 20 points in the third set.</p>

<p>A Prannoy flick serve went long to give Chou the lead and then the Indian faltered with a net shot going wide to confirm the former World Number Two a place in the semifinals. Chou will now face Y.Q. Shi of China on Saturday for a place in the finals.</p>


Prannoy HS, India`s only medal hope at the Japan Open, crashed out in the quarterfinals on Friday. The ace Indian shuttler fought valiantly against his Chinese Taipei opponent TC Chou, winning the second set, but eventually lost the game in a three-set thriller 17-21, 21-15, 22-20.

Prannoy HS, India`s only medal hope at the Japan Open, crashed out in the quarterfinals on Friday. The ace Indian shuttler fought valiantly against his Chinese Taipei opponent TC Chou, winning the second set, but eventually lost the game in a three-set thriller 17-21, 21-15, 22-20. Playing in his consecutive quarterfinals, Prannoy sought redemption in the Japan Open, after crashing out in the quarterfinals of the BWF World Championships in August. Facing the sixth-ranked badminton player, the Indian skilled great badminton skills throughout the game, playing subtle net shots combined with ferocious body smashes. ALSO READ: Venus and Serena Williams tumble out of US Open doubles courtesy of Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskov The scoreline of the first set may not suggest it, but it was a closely contested set with Chou managing to get himself together and managing his nerves. Chou made use of minute lapses of concentration in the set by the Indian, bagging the first set. Not ready to throw in the towel yet, Prannoy came back with a bang in the second set, securing consecutive points early in the set. The Chinese Taipei player had no answers to the immaculate precision with which the Indian played. Aggression mixed with accuracy served as the perfect recipe for the Indian to clinch the second set, levelling the game. In the third set, the audience was treated to an exceptional play of badminton with both the players desperate to advance to the semifinals. ALSO READ: WATCH: Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk refuses to shake hands with Belarusian Victoria Azarenka after US Open clash Both of the players dived across the court to save points and were cheered on for each point they saved or scored. With the crowd behind them, the players reached a stage when they were both tied on 20 points in the third set. A Prannoy flick serve went long to give Chou the lead and then the Indian faltered with a net shot going wide to confirm the former World Number Two a place in the semifinals. Chou will now face Y.Q. Shi of China on Saturday for a place in the finals.

India's only hope for Japan Open medal HS Prannoy suffers close loss at the hands of TC Chou

<p>The India women's badminton team on Wednesday lost to Thailand in their final Group B encounter in the ongoing Uber Cup.</p>

<p>In the match, India went down as Malvika Bansod lost the match 21-15, 21-11 against Pornpawee Chochuwong.</p>

<p>Following this, the doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Reddy N Sikki lost against Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai by 21-16, 21-12.</p>

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<p>In the third match, shuttler Aditi Bhatt lost the match 21-16, 18-21, 21-15 against Busanan Ongbamrungphan.</p>

<p>The doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand Pullela lost against the Thailand pair by 21-17, 21-16.</p>

<p>In the last match, Tasnim Mir lost the match 21-19, 21-15 against Supainda Katethong.</p>

<p>On Tuesday, India defeated Scotland 4-1 in their Group B encounter.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The India women's badminton team on Wednesday lost to Thailand in their final Group B encounter in the ongoing Uber Cup. In the match, India went down as Malvika Bansod lost the match 21-15, 21-11 against Pornpawee Chochuwong.

The India women's badminton team on Wednesday lost to Thailand in their final Group B encounter in the ongoing Uber Cup. In the match, India went down as Malvika Bansod lost the match 21-15, 21-11 against Pornpawee Chochuwong. Following this, the doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Reddy N Sikki lost against Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai by 21-16, 21-12. ALSO READ: Uber Cup 2021: Resilient India defeat Spain by 3-2 In the third match, shuttler Aditi Bhatt lost the match 21-16, 18-21, 21-15 against Busanan Ongbamrungphan. The doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand Pullela lost against the Thailand pair by 21-17, 21-16. In the last match, Tasnim Mir lost the match 21-19, 21-15 against Supainda Katethong. On Tuesday, India defeated Scotland 4-1 in their Group B encounter.

Uber Cup: Indian women's team loses to Thailand

India achieved a record haul of 6 medals at the 2012 London Olympics. Leading the country's charge were 2 trailblazers who cemented their status as pioneers of women's sport. Saina Nehwal broke the Chinese monopoly in Women's Badminton by winning the Bronze medal at the games. While Boxing Legend Mary Kom too earned a bronze, which was a defining moment in an already glorious career. Chief coach of the India Badminton team, Pullela Gopichand and Olympic Gold Quest CEO Viren Rasquinha trace the remarkable journey's of these two Sporting Greats in a conversation with Wion Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo.

WION Broadband Olympic Edition: Nehwal & Mary Kom's Olympic high in 2012

Indian Badminton had a rich legacy thanks to the feats of Prakash Padukone and Pullela Gopichand but the cupboard was bare when it came to the women's events. The emergence of Saina Nehwal in 2006 boosted the popularity of the sport and her rise up the World rankings drew an entirely new generation to the sport. Nehwal would cBadap an amazing run as the pioneer of Indian Badminton by winning the Bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics and breaking the Chinese monopoly over the event. Gopichand and OGQ CEO Viren Rasquinha look back on Nehwal's journey to the Olympic medal.

WION Broadband Olympic Edition: Saina ends Chinese monopoly at London 2012

<p>Seven Indian badminton players have pulled out of next week's All England Open championships over coronavirus fears, the Badminton Association of India said, as the outbreak continues to disrupt sports events across the world.</p>

<p><strong>Also see: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/sporting-events-that-fell-victim-to-coronavirus-280070"><span>Sporting events that fell victim to coronavirus!</span></a></p>

<p>A number of international sporting events have been cancelled or postponed because of the outbreak.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/all-italian-sporting-events-included-six- nations-affected-due-to-coronavirus-284496">All Italian sporting events included Six Nations affected due to coronavirus</a></p>

<p>HS Prannoy, Sameer Verma and Sourabh Verma are the men's singles players who have decided to withdraw while doubles specialists Chirag Shetty, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Manu Attri and Sumeeth Reddy have also opted out.</p>

<p>"They didn`t want to take a risk and some of them said their families and parents are worried about the current situation," BAI general secretary Ajay Singhania said.</p>

<p>"It`s completely up to the players to decide if they want to travel."</p>

<p>Several badminton events that were to serve as qualifiers for the Olympics have been cancelled or postponed. The March 11-15 tournament in Birmingham will award points towards securing Tokyo spots.</p>

<p>The top 16 singles players in the qualification race, limited to two athletes from any country, are guaranteed spots in the Tokyo Games, which begin on July 24.</p>

<p>Leading Indian women`s singles players PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal - both previous Olympic medallists - are making the trip to England, as are their male counterparts Kidambi Srikanth and B. Sai Praneeth.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has barred its athletes from attending any private or public functions.</p>

<p>Athletes are not being allowed to leave training camps taking place in different parts of India and have been barred from training with anyone from outside the camps, the AFI said in a statement.</p>

<p>Local media reported that the Indian archery team had pulled out of an Asia Cup World ranking tournament to be held from March 8-15 in Bangkok.</p>


Seven Indian badminton players have pulled out of next week's All England Open championships over coronavirus fears, the Badminton Association of India said, as the outbreak continues to disrupt sports events across the world.

Seven Indian badminton players have pulled out of next week's All England Open championships over coronavirus fears, the Badminton Association of India said, as the outbreak continues to disrupt sports events across the world. Also see: Sporting events that fell victim to coronavirus! A number of international sporting events have been cancelled or postponed because of the outbreak. Also read: All Italian sporting events included Six Nations affected due to coronavirus HS Prannoy, Sameer Verma and Sourabh Verma are the men's singles players who have decided to withdraw while doubles specialists Chirag Shetty, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Manu Attri and Sumeeth Reddy have also opted out. "They didn`t want to take a risk and some of them said their families and parents are worried about the current situation," BAI general secretary Ajay Singhania said. "It`s completely up to the players to decide if they want to travel." Several badminton events that were to serve as qualifiers for the Olympics have been cancelled or postponed. The March 11-15 tournament in Birmingham will award points towards securing Tokyo spots. The top 16 singles players in the qualification race, limited to two athletes from any country, are guaranteed spots in the Tokyo Games, which begin on July 24. Leading Indian women`s singles players PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal - both previous Olympic medallists - are making the trip to England, as are their male counterparts Kidambi Srikanth and B. Sai Praneeth. Meanwhile, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has barred its athletes from attending any private or public functions. Athletes are not being allowed to leave training camps taking place in different parts of India and have been barred from training with anyone from outside the camps, the AFI said in a statement. Local media reported that the Indian archery team had pulled out of an Asia Cup World ranking tournament to be held from March 8-15 in Bangkok.

Indian players skip All England badminton over coronavirus fears

<p>Indian badminton star PV&nbsp;Sindhu set her sights on reaching world number one after she shook off opening-match nerves to reach the last 16 at the Hong Kong Open on Wednesday.</p>

<p>Last year's runner-up and current world number three needed a mid-match pep talk from her coaches before beating Thailand's Nitchaon Jindapol 21-15, 13-21, 21-17.</p>

<p>Afterwards, Sindhu, who has become one of the world's highest-paid female athletes since winning Olympic silver in 2016, told AFP she had her eye on the number one spot.</p>

<p>"It's not going to be easy because there are some players who are coming up. But definitely one day I will be world number one, that's what I feel," said Sindhu, who was briefly ranked second last month.</p>

<p>"The top 10 to 15 players of the world are in the same standard, so it's just on the day who plays well and gives their best is the number one."</p>

<p>Sindhu, 23, narrowly lost the 2017 Hong Kong final to Taiwan's world number one Tai Tzu-ying, who has dominated the rankings over the past two seasons.</p>

<p>The Indian player has had a string of disappointments since, losing five straight finals including at the Asian Games against Tai.</p>

<p>Sindhu's last victory against Tai was at the Rio Olympics, en route to the silver medal which brought a flood of endorsements. In August, Forbes magazine rated her as the world's seventh highest paid sportswoman.</p>

<p><strong>- 'Not up to the mark' -</strong></p>

<p>She said her elevation and high profile had inspired other players in India, and had also raised expectations about her performances.</p>

<p>"A lot of them have been taking me for inspiration, and there are also a lot of expectations now after this year especially. So to meet their expectations I need to be there and I need to keep working hard," she said.</p>

<p>"Definitely I think Indian badminton as a sport is growing up and you see a lot of people are picking up badminton so it's a good sign for Indian badminton I can say, because in a couple of years you will definitely see a lot more players coming up."</p>

<p>Sindhu looked set to make quick work of her opening match Wednesday, breaking away from Nitchaon in the first game.</p>

<p>But she began to falter soon afterwards as Nitchaon's powerful smashes battered her into submission in the second game.</p>

<p>However, a pep talk in the last interval saw Sindhu claw back the decider after the Thai fired long on several crucial points.</p>

<p>"I think I was not up to the mark," Sindhu said.</p>

<p>"I was very nervous. In the second set I gave a lot of lead and started playing negative, and in the third set, it was like I was leading and then she came back closer.</p>

<p>"I could have just played freely... Overall it was very tactical and we had to be very focused and keep the shuttle in the court."</p>

<p>Meanwhile, fourth seed Chen Yufei crashed out of the tournament 21-14, 10-21, 20-22 after surrendering her early advantage against 24th-ranked Pornpawee Chochuwong.</p>

<p>Chen's first loss to the Thai in six encounters was overshadowed by a vocal match on the next court, where men's double sixth seeds Kim Astrup and Anders Rasmussen fought off a spirited challenge from Lu Ching Yao and Yang Po Han.</p>

<p>The energetic Taiwanese duo earned the crowd's favour against the Danes, who recovered from a drawn-out first game loss to triumph 28-30, 21-19, 21-16 in 76 minutes.</p>


Indian badminton star PV Sindhu set her sights on reaching world number one after she shook off opening-match nerves to reach the last 16 at the Hong Kong Open on Wednesday.

Indian badminton star PV Sindhu set her sights on reaching world number one after she shook off opening-match nerves to reach the last 16 at the Hong Kong Open on Wednesday. Last year's runner-up and current world number three needed a mid-match pep talk from her coaches before beating Thailand's Nitchaon Jindapol 21-15, 13-21, 21-17. Afterwards, Sindhu, who has become one of the world's highest-paid female athletes since winning Olympic silver in 2016, told AFP she had her eye on the number one spot. "It's not going to be easy because there are some players who are coming up. But definitely one day I will be world number one, that's what I feel," said Sindhu, who was briefly ranked second last month. "The top 10 to 15 players of the world are in the same standard, so it's just on the day who plays well and gives their best is the number one." Sindhu, 23, narrowly lost the 2017 Hong Kong final to Taiwan's world number one Tai Tzu-ying, who has dominated the rankings over the past two seasons. The Indian player has had a string of disappointments since, losing five straight finals including at the Asian Games against Tai. Sindhu's last victory against Tai was at the Rio Olympics, en route to the silver medal which brought a flood of endorsements. In August, Forbes magazine rated her as the world's seventh highest paid sportswoman. - 'Not up to the mark' - She said her elevation and high profile had inspired other players in India, and had also raised expectations about her performances. "A lot of them have been taking me for inspiration, and there are also a lot of expectations now after this year especially. So to meet their expectations I need to be there and I need to keep working hard," she said. "Definitely I think Indian badminton as a sport is growing up and you see a lot of people are picking up badminton so it's a good sign for Indian badminton I can say, because in a couple of years you will definitely see a lot more players coming up." Sindhu looked set to make quick work of her opening match Wednesday, breaking away from Nitchaon in the first game. But she began to falter soon afterwards as Nitchaon's powerful smashes battered her into submission in the second game. However, a pep talk in the last interval saw Sindhu claw back the decider after the Thai fired long on several crucial points. "I think I was not up to the mark," Sindhu said. "I was very nervous. In the second set I gave a lot of lead and started playing negative, and in the third set, it was like I was leading and then she came back closer. "I could have just played freely... Overall it was very tactical and we had to be very focused and keep the shuttle in the court." Meanwhile, fourth seed Chen Yufei crashed out of the tournament 21-14, 10-21, 20-22 after surrendering her early advantage against 24th-ranked Pornpawee Chochuwong. Chen's first loss to the Thai in six encounters was overshadowed by a vocal match on the next court, where men's double sixth seeds Kim Astrup and Anders Rasmussen fought off a spirited challenge from Lu Ching Yao and Yang Po Han. The energetic Taiwanese duo earned the crowd's favour against the Danes, who recovered from a drawn-out first game loss to triumph 28-30, 21-19, 21-16 in 76 minutes.

Sindhu, badminton's big earner, sets sights on number one

P V Sindhu&#39;s gallant attempt to win a coveted gold medal for India ended in heart-break when she went down fighting against Spain&#39;s Carolina Marin, and settled for a silver in the women&#39;s singles badminton competition of the Rio Olympics here today.<br />
<br />
The 21-year-old Indian crumbled under the relentless pressure created by Marin to lose 21-19, 12-21, 15-21 in a pulsating final that lasted for an hour and 23 minutes at the Riocentre here.&nbsp;Sindhu, in fact, trailed 16-19 in the opening game before reeling off five straight points to clinch it. She was then outclassed in the second to lose it tamely.<br />
<br />
In the decider, the lanky shuttler from Hyderabad trailed 1-6 at one stage and caught up at 10-10 but could not keep the tempo after the short break as Marin simply changed gears to surge to Spain&#39;s first gold medal in badminton.<br />
<br />
In their last five meetings in the last two years, Marin has beaten Sindhu four times with the Indian gaining an upper hand during the Denmark Super Series last year, but today she could not repeat the feat.&nbsp;The hyper-aggressive Marin mixed power with precision to dominate the rallies with her acute-angled smashes interspersed with clever drops to catch the Indian often on the wrong-foot.<br />
<br />
Sindhu struggled with the length of her strokes as gave away many points by hitting long and wide but she fought tooth and nail till the end only to come second best.<br />
<br />
In the opening game, the Spaniard grabbed a 11-8 lead at the interval. Sindhu could not vary the pace of the rallies even as Marin came with some razor-sharp net play to extend the lead to 15-11 at one stage.&nbsp;A net error and a long shot gave Sindhu two points to narrow the gap and kept breathing down the neck of the Spaniard till 15-17.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to twitter today to congratulate P V Sindhu:<br />
&nbsp;
<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congrats for the Silver <a href="https://twitter.com/Pvsindhu1">@Pvsindhu1</a>. Very well fought. Your accomplishment at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rio2016?src=hash">#Rio2016</a> is historic &amp; will be remembered for years.</p>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/766658982840832000">August 19, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>
<br />
Sindhu thus became the fourth Indian to win a silver at the Olympics after shooters Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (2004, Athens) and Vijay Kumar (2012, London) and wrestler Sushil Kumar (2012, London).<br />
<br />
The two-time World championship bronze medallist also became the fifth woman player from India to win a medal in Olympics and the first to clinch a silver. Sindhu&#39;s silver is India&#39;s second medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics.<br />
<br />
Weightlifter Karnam Malleshwari (2000, Sydney), boxer MC Mary Kom (2012, London), shuttler Saina Nehwal (2012, London) and wrestler Sakshi Malik (Rio, 2016) are the other women players from India to have won a medal in Olympics.<br />
<br />
(PTI)

Sindhu is now the first ever female Indian athlete to win a silver medal at the Olympics

P V Sindhu's gallant attempt to win a coveted gold medal for India ended in heart-break when she went down fighting against Spain's Carolina Marin, and settled for a silver in the women's singles badminton competition of the Rio Olympics here today. The 21-year-old Indian crumbled under the relentless pressure created by Marin to lose 21-19, 12-21, 15-21 in a pulsating final that lasted for an hour and 23 minutes at the Riocentre here. Sindhu, in fact, trailed 16-19 in the opening game before reeling off five straight points to clinch it. She was then outclassed in the second to lose it tamely. In the decider, the lanky shuttler from Hyderabad trailed 1-6 at one stage and caught up at 10-10 but could not keep the tempo after the short break as Marin simply changed gears to surge to Spain's first gold medal in badminton. In their last five meetings in the last two years, Marin has beaten Sindhu four times with the Indian gaining an upper hand during the Denmark Super Series last year, but today she could not repeat the feat. The hyper-aggressive Marin mixed power with precision to dominate the rallies with her acute-angled smashes interspersed with clever drops to catch the Indian often on the wrong-foot. Sindhu struggled with the length of her strokes as gave away many points by hitting long and wide but she fought tooth and nail till the end only to come second best. In the opening game, the Spaniard grabbed a 11-8 lead at the interval. Sindhu could not vary the pace of the rallies even as Marin came with some razor-sharp net play to extend the lead to 15-11 at one stage. A net error and a long shot gave Sindhu two points to narrow the gap and kept breathing down the neck of the Spaniard till 15-17. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to twitter today to congratulate P V Sindhu: Congrats for the Silver @Pvsindhu1. Very well fought. Your accomplishment at #Rio2016 is historic & will be remembered for years. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 19, 2016 Sindhu thus became the fourth Indian to win a silver at the Olympics after shooters Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (2004, Athens) and Vijay Kumar (2012, London) and wrestler Sushil Kumar (2012, London). The two-time World championship bronze medallist also became the fifth woman player from India to win a medal in Olympics and the first to clinch a silver. Sindhu's silver is India's second medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Weightlifter Karnam Malleshwari (2000, Sydney), boxer MC Mary Kom (2012, London), shuttler Saina Nehwal (2012, London) and wrestler Sakshi Malik (Rio, 2016) are the other women players from India to have won a medal in Olympics. (PTI)

Rio Olympics 2016: India shuttler PV Sindhu wins silver medal