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Badminton World Championship: India made an impressive opening statement at the Badminton World Championships 2026, with home shuttlers producing several encouraging results in New Delhi. The biggest result came in the men's singles, where 21-year-old Ayush Shetty pulled off a stunning first-round upset against China's world No.1 Shi Yu Qi. PV Sindhu also began her campaign in commanding fashion, keeping her hopes of another World Championship title alive.

The 2026 edition of the tournament got underway in the Indian capital on August 17, with the home contingent enjoying a productive opening day.

Ayush Shetty Produces Stunning World No.1 Upset

Shetty entered his first-round clash against Shi Yu Qi knowing the Chinese star had beaten him comfortably in their previous meeting.

This time, however, the Indian youngster produced a much more composed performance when it mattered most.

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Shetty eventually prevailed 21-14, 13-21, 21-19 in a closely fought contest, sending the top seed crashing out of the tournament at the first hurdle.

The 21-year-old looked delighted after securing one of the biggest victories of his young career.

The result also gives India a major boost in the men's singles draw, with Lakshya Sen another prominent Indian contender still in the competition.

PV Sindhu Begins Title Bid With Easy Win

Sindhu, a five-time World Championship medallist, had far fewer problems in her opening match.

The Indian star defeated Ireland's Sophia Noble 21-7, 21-11 to comfortably book her place in the next round. Her next challenge will come against Canada's Wen Yu Zhang.

Sindhu's last World Championship gold came in 2019, and the former champion will now look to build momentum as she attempts to add another title to her decorated career.

India also enjoyed progress in the men's and women's doubles competitions, with several pairs advancing to the next stage.

India’s Rich World Championships Record

Indian badminton has a proud history at the World Championships, with the country having collected 15 medals in total.

Sindhu accounts for five of those medals, including one gold, two silver and two bronze.

Other Indian medallists include Prakash Padukone, Saina Nehwal, Sai Praneeth, Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy, Chirag Shetty-Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and the Ashwini Ponnappa-Jwala Gutta pair.

With the tournament being played on home soil, India's strong start will raise hopes of another memorable campaign.