For the first time, the India Open — a prestigious Super 750 badminton tournament — will move venues, shifting less than 500 metres from the KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium to the larger Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. The change is significant not only for its scale but also for timing, as the stadium will host the World Championships in August, offering players an early opportunity to familiarise themselves with the conditions ahead of the sport’s biggest event returning to India after 16 years.
The USD 950,000 India Open will be held from January 13 to 18, with live streaming available on the BWF YouTube channel and television coverage by Eurosport. Four courts will be in use on the opening day, and players and fans have praised the aesthetics and scale of the venue.
Lakshya Sen vs Ayush ShettyThe opening day will feature a blockbuster clash between former champion Lakshya Sen and his junior training partner Ayush Shetty, who is making his India Open debut. Lakshya, the 2022 champion, faces a tough test against 20-year-old Ayush, who recently impressed by defeating former world No. 2 Lee Zii Jia and pushing world No. 1 Shi Yuqi to three games. The match, a curtain-raiser for the tournament, promises a thrilling start and an opportunity for the duo to claim bragging rights, having trained together at the Centre for Excellence in Bengaluru. Their encounter will be played on Court 2 on Tuesday, not before 3 pm IST.
PV Sindhu Eyes ConsistencyTwo-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu will return with renewed focus after reaching the semi-finals of the Malaysia Open last week. Coming off an injury lay-off, Sindhu begins her campaign against Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh, seeking a strong start on home soil.
Teenager Tanvi Sharma in SpotlightAttention will also be on 16-year-old Tanvi Sharma, who received a late entry following the withdrawals of Chen Yufei and Akane Yamaguchi. A silver medallist at the 2025 World Junior Championships, Tanvi will make her Super 750 debut against world No. 2 Wang Zhiyi, offering her invaluable experience at the highest level.
Other Notable PlayersDefending champion An Se-young will begin her campaign on Wednesday. Shi Yuqi has withdrawn due to injury, opening a spot for Tharun Mannepalli, who will face Kidambi Srikanth. Tharun has a 2–0 head-to-head advantage over Srikanth from 2025.
Indian Stars in Action at India Open 2026
Men’s Singles:Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy, Tharun MannepalliMen’s Doubles:Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty, MR Arjun/Hariharan AmsakarunanWomen’s Singles:PV Sindhu, Malvika Bansod, Tanvi SharmaWomen’s Doubles:Treesa Jolly/Gayatri Gopichand, Rutaparna Panda/Swetaparna Panda, Gayatri Rawat/Mansa Rawat, Priya Konjengbam/Shruti Mishra, Kavipriya Selvam/Simran Singhi, Ashwini Bhat/Shikha GautamMixed Doubles:Dhruv Kapila/Tanisha Crasto, Rohan Kapoor/Ruthvika Shivani Gadde, Ashith Surya/Amrutha Pramuthesh, Dhruv Rawat/Maneesha K
The India Open 2026 promises an action-packed week of badminton, combining high-stakes competition with a valuable preview of the conditions ahead of the World Championships later this year.
