India Open 2026 Moves to Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium Ahead of World Championships.
The India Open, a premier BWF Super 750 event, will for the first time shift venues — moving less than 500 metres from the KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium to the much larger Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. The timing is significant: this is also the venue for the World Championships in August, offering players an early chance to adapt to conditions ahead of the sport’s biggest event in India after 16 years.
The USD 950,000 tournament runs from January 13–18. Fans can follow the action live on the BWF YouTube channel, with Eurosport providing television coverage. Social media is already buzzing with images of the stadium, with praise for its scale and aesthetics. On opening day, up to four courts will be in play.
“The stadium is much bigger. It takes time to get used to the conditions. Air conditioning is off, so drift isn’t an issue, but judging high lifts can be tricky,” said Chirag Shetty.
Lakshya Sen vs Ayush Shetty: High-Stakes Curtain-Raiser
The opening day’s biggest attraction is an all-Indian clash between Lakshya Sen and junior prodigy Ayush Shetty. Lakshya, the 2022 champion, meets the 6ft 5in, 20-year-old Ayush, one of India’s brightest rising stars.
Lakshya had a disappointing start to 2026 with an early exit in Malaysia, while Ayush impressed by defeating former world No. 2 Lee Zii Jia and pushing world No. 1 Shi Yuqi to three games in his Super 1000 debut.
Their match, scheduled on Court 2 from 3 pm IST, promises a thrilling, smash-heavy battle. The pair train together at Bengaluru’s Centre for Excellence, making the contest as much about bragging rights as tournament progress.
“Playing Lakshya in the first round is a big challenge, but it’s a great opportunity to test myself on debut,” said Ayush.
PV Sindhu Seeks Strong Start
PV Sindhu, world No. 18, returns after a semi-final run at the Malaysia Open. She opens against Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh, looking to build momentum on home soil while managing her schedule to avoid injuries.
Teen Sensation Tanvi Sharma in the Spotlight
Sixteen-year-old Tanvi Sharma makes her Super 750 debut after late withdrawals by Chen Yufei and Akane Yamaguchi. The World Junior Championships silver medallist faces world No. 2 Wang Zhiyi, gaining invaluable experience regardless of the outcome.
Other Key Matches and Players
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Defending champion An Se-young begins her campaign on Wednesday.
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Shi Yuqi withdrew due to injury, opening the door for Tharun Mannepalli, who faces Kidambi Srikanth. Tharun leads 2–0 in their head-to-head.
Indian Stars to Watch:
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Men’s Singles: Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy, Tharun Mannepalli
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Men’s Doubles: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty, MR Arjun/Hariharan Amsakarunan
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Women’s Singles: PV Sindhu, Malavika Bansod, Tanvi Sharma
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Women’s Doubles: Treesa Jolly/Gayatri Gopichand, Rutaparna/Swetaparna Panda, Gayatri Rawat/Mansa Rawat, Priya Konjengbam/Shruti Mishra, Kavipriya Selvam/Simran Singhi, Ashwini Bhat/Shikha Gautam
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Mixed Doubles: Dhruv Kapila/Tanisha Crasto, Rohan Kapoor/Ruthvika Shivani Gadde, Ashith Surya/Amrutha Pramuthesh, Dhruv Rawat/Maneesha K
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