World Badminton Championship

GPBL postponement: Are players wrong in looking to earn some quick money?

While the country is rejoicing HS Prannoy's World Championships bronze medal in Copenhagen, back home more than 60 shuttlers have been deprived of an opportunity to show their skills and earn some much-needed money following the indefinite postponement of the Grand Prix Badminton League (GPBL). The two-week league, with as many as 15 international players, was scheduled to get underway on Sunday. But it was deferred indefinitely after several players pulled out of the event after the Badminton Association of India (BAI) did not give necessary permission to run the league. With the Premier Badminton League (PBL) -- the flagship event of BAI -- not happening since the COVID-19 pandemic, the GPBL was seen as a good opportunity by the second or third string domestic players to earn a decent amount to fuel their dreams. "Seriously, I don't know why BAI is being so anti sport and restricting the spread of the game," a senior player said on condition of anonymity. "It is very difficult f

Nutrition focus, training for specific opponents key to Prannoy's success

A battle with injuries and health issues made HS Prannoy realise that understanding his body and crafting a tailor-made training programme for specific opponents are non-negotiables to keep alive his dreams of winning medals for India. On Saturday, the 31-year-old from Kerala signed off with a world championships bronze in Copenhagen, Denmark, becoming only the fifth Indian men's singles player to win a medal at the prestigious event. The result was the culmination of a good season during which he bagged the Malaysian Masters title and finished runner-up at the Australian Open, besides managing a semifinal and three quarterfinal finishes. "It is a mix of a lot of work that coaches have put in. On court, there has been a change with Gopi (Pullela Gopichand) sir and Guru (RMV Gurusaidutt) bhaiya making training and plans for specific players, whom I might play. So, it has been tailor-made in that manner," Prannoy told PTI before leaving for Copenhagen. "Off the court, I have been ...

World Championships: Prannoy assures India of a medal with win over Axelsen

HS Prannoy extracted the last ounce of energy from his reservoir to stun two-time defending champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark in a thrilling 68-minute quarterfinal to ensure a medal for India in the World Badminton Championship here on Friday. In a nail-biter, Prannoy once again showed his big-match temperament as he fought back from a game down to outwit the world No. 1 one Axelsen 13-21 21-15 21-16 in-front of his home crowd at the Roal Arena. The 31-year-old from Kerala, who claimed the Malaysia Masters Super 500 and reached the finals at Australian Open Super 500 this year, thus continued India's dream run at the World Championships as the victory sealed the country's 14th medal in the event. Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu won five of them, including a gold in 2019, and Saina Nehwal (silver and bronze) claimed two. Kidambi Srikanth (silver), Lakshya Sen (bronze), B Sai Praneeth (bronze) and Prakash Padukone (bronze) are the other medallists in singles. Satwiksairaj ...

BWF World Championships: Prannoy, Sen enter third round; Sindhu crashes out

Former champion PV Sindhu's wretched run continued as she bowed out of the World Championships, but HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen produced commanding performances to enter the third round in men's singles, here on Tuesday. The most successful Indian at World Championships with five medals, Sindhu lacked any sting in her attack and went down tamely 14-21 14-21 to old nemesis Nozomi Okuhara of Japan, a 2017 gold medallist and silver winner in 2019. It is the first time in her career that Sindhu, seeded 16th, has failed to reach the quarterfinals at the prestigious tournament. In men's singles, world No 9 Prannoy produced a masterclass as he tamed Indonesia's Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo 21-9 21-14 to set up a clash with 2021 champion, Loh Kean Yew of Singapore. Earlier, Sen, a bronze medallist at the 2021 edition, prevailed 21-11 21-12 over the world No 51 Korean Jeon Hyeok Jin. The Indian, thus, settled his score against the Korean, who had defeated him in their only meeting at the Asia Tea

BWF World Championships: HS Prannoy, Lakshya Sen advance to second round

Star Indian shuttlers HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen progressed to the men's singles second round of the World Championships with straight-game wins over Finland's Kalle Koljonen and Mauritius' Georges Julien Paul respectively here on Monday. Prannoy, the world number 9, who reached the quarterfinals in the last two editions, saw off the left-handed Koljonen 24-22, 21-10 to extend his head-to-head count over the Finnish player to 3-0. Sen, the reigning Commonwealth Games gold medallist, then streamrolled Paul 21-12, 21-7 in 25 minutes to follow Prannoy into the second round. The Almora shuttler, who had won a bronze in the 2021 edition, is likely to meet Korea's Jeon Hyeok Jin, while the 31-year-old from Kerala is expected to face Indonesia's Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo next. The match between Prannoy and Koljonen turned into a tight battle in the opening game with the Finnish player quick to open up a 8-4 lead. But Prannoy reeled off seven straight points to grab a 11-8 lead at the ...

BWF World Championships: Prannoy, Sen and Sat-Chi lead India's medal hunt

The in-form duo of HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen will be at the forefront of India's medal hunt at the BWF World Championships beginning here on Monday. All eyes will also be on Satwiksaraj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, the country's best doubles pair at world number 2, as they look to better the colour of the bronze that they claimed in the last edition. India have won 13 medals, including one gold, four silvers and 8 bronze medals since 1977 when the tournament first started before turning into a biennial event from 1983 to 2005. It has been an annual event, with the exception of the Olympic year, ever since. While the legendary Prakash Padukone was the first Indian to win a medal -- a bronze -- at the World Championships in 1983, the country's shuttlers, led by PV Sindhu, have managed to win at least one medal since 2011. Sindhu, the 2019 champion, is the most successful Indian with five medals but she has not been able to reach the podium since Basel edition and has looked a pale

Breaking into world's top three is my target now, not Olympics: HS Prannoy

He may be one of the front-runners in the Olympic race but star Indian shuttler HS Prannoy doesn't want to think about Paris right now and is instead focussing on "short-term targets" like breaking into the world's top three. The most consistent Indian singles player in the last 12 months, Prannoy, ranked world number 9, won the Malaysia Masters in May and came within sniffing distance of bagging another title in Sydney, before finishing runner-up at last week's Australian Open. "Right now, probably I am in a good position. I had a few decent tournaments post-May but I would say I am never satisfied and I always want to go out there and win big tournaments, that's been always my ambition," Prannoy told PTI. "Last couple of years, I have been consistently able to play quarterfinals and semifinals and now I am trying to make sure that I go that extra one more round and be in the final and win those tournaments." The 31-year-old Indian, who reached three quarterfinals and a semifinal

Why Satwik-Chirag's Indonesian Open win is the biggest in Indian Badminton

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty beat the world number one and the reigning world champions on their way to the Indonesian Open Badminton title

Satwik-Chirag secure India's first men's doubles medal at World C'ships

Star Indian men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Reddy and Chirag Shetty assured themselves of a maiden medal at the World Championships after stunning world number 2 Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi of Japan in the quarterfinals here on Friday. The world number 7 Indian combination, which had claimed the Commonwealth Games gold medal earlier this month, dished out a gritty performance to outwit the local favourites and defending champions 24-22 15-21 21-14 in an hour and 15 minute to claim India first-ever men's doubles medal at the prestigious tournament. It was India's second World Championships medal in doubles with Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa claiming the first way back in 2011 in the women's doubles. Earlier, MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila's fine run came to an end after the Indian pair lost to three-time gold medallists Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan in their men's doubles quarterfinals. The unseeded Indian combination, who had some sensational wins this week, lost 8-21 14-2

BWF World Championship 2022: Saina Nehwal wins; head to head; highlights

Saina Nehwal proceeds to the round of 32 after winning her first match at BWF World Championship 2022. Gayatri Gopichand and Jolly Treesa win against Low Yeen Yuan and Valeree Siow

Malaysia Open: PV Sindhu defeats Chochuwong, Saina Nehwal crashes out

Star India shuttler PV Sindhu produced a stunning win over Thailand's world no. 10 Pornpawee Chochuwong to advance into the second round of the Malaysia Open tournament on Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur.Playing on Court 2, Sindhu came through a tough test against Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong in straight games.Seventh-seeded Sindhu dominated Chochuwong in both games 21-13, 21-17. The Indian got off to a great start in the first game and clinched the game with her swift moves.The second game of the match saw Chochuwong fighting back but could not hold Sindhu's attacks longer and crashed out of the tournament.India's double pair B Sumeeth Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa, couldn't get past the world no. 21 pairing of Robin Tabeling and Selena Piek of the Netherlands. The Indian duo went down by 15-21, 21-19 17-21 after a 52-minute battle.Meanwhile, it was a bad day for the 2012 London Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal, who suffered a defeat against American Iris Wang 11-21, 17-21 in 37 ...

Sindhu stuns Tzu Ying, inches closer to elusive World Championships gold

The 24-year-old Indian, an Olympic silver medallist, will take on the winner of the match between China's Chen Yu Fei and Denmark's Mia Blichfeldt on Saturday

World Badminton Championships: P V Sindhu, Praneeth ease into pre-quarters

The Indian pair will now lock horns with Indonesian duo of Praveen Jordan and Debby Susanto