India Enjoy Perfect Opening Day at BWF World Championships 2026

India enjoyed a dream start to the BWF World Championships 2026 in New Delhi on Monday, with all five Indian entries advancing to the second round and Ayush Shetty producing the headline performance by eliminating defending champion and World No. 1 Shi Yuqi in a dramatic opening-round battle.

The 21-year-old Shetty, an Asian Championships silver medallist, delivered one of the biggest upsets of the tournament so far, defeating the top seed 21-14, 13-21, 21-19 in a contest that lasted one hour and 13 minutes.

More significantly, Shi's defeat made him the first defending men's singles champion to exit the World Championships in the opening round, giving Shetty's victory a place in the tournament's history.

For India, it was a flawless opening day, with Shetty joined in the second round by PV Sindhu, MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, and the women's doubles pair of Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi.

Shetty entered the contest against Shi with a 0-3 head-to-head record, having lost all three of their previous meetings. The Chinese star was also the defending champion and top seed, making the challenge even greater for the Indian debutant.

But Shetty showed little sign of being overawed by the occasion. Starting from the better side of the court, the Indian immediately put pressure on Shi, who struggled to adjust to the conditions and made a series of unforced errors. Shetty led 11-5 at the mid-game interval and continued to rely on his powerful smashes to take control. He eventually wrapped up the opening game 21-14.

Shi responded strongly in the second game, forcing Shetty into a deciding game with a 21-13 victory. The third game produced the most dramatic phase of the contest.

Shetty remained patient early on, waiting for the right opportunities instead of attempting to force winners. He changed ends with an 11-5 lead before producing a remarkable burst of seven consecutive points to move 16-5 ahead. Shi, however, showed the resilience expected of a World No. 1.

The Chinese player improved his control at the net and began forcing Shetty into errors, reducing the deficit to 18-15. Shetty eventually earned five match points after a down-the-line smash, but Shi saved four of them.

With the pressure at its highest, Shetty finally found the decisive point with a deceptive flick to complete the biggest victory of his young career. Reflecting on the tense finish, Shetty said he kept reminding himself to remain calm as Shi mounted his comeback.

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“I was telling myself to calm down. I was getting a bit nervous because he was really catching up,” Shetty said.

The victory capped an extraordinary day for the young Indian, who had already established himself as one of the country's most promising men's singles players.

Sindhu makes a confident start

Former world champion PV Sindhu also began her campaign in convincing fashion, defeating Ireland's Sofia Noble 21-7, 21-11. The ninth-seeded Indian came out aggressively, racing to an 8-0 lead before Noble managed to get on the scoreboard. Sindhu controlled the net effectively and wrapped up the opening game in just 12 minutes.

Noble benefited from playing from the better side in the second game and managed to extend some rallies by pushing the shuttle deeper towards Sindhu's forehand. But Sindhu's superior attacking game kept her firmly in control. The Indian went on an eight-point run from 12-10 to 20-10 before closing out the match with a sharp net dribble.

Sindhu said her primary focus was adapting to the court conditions ahead of tougher matches. “I think overall, playing for the first time, it was important for me to get used to the court conditions and see how it is,” she said.

Sindhu will face Canada's Wen Yu Zhang in the second round.

India's perfect day began with MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan progressing in men's doubles. The Indian pair defeated Ireland's Scott Guildea and Paul Reynolds 21-16, 6-4, with their opponents retiring during the second game. In women's doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand enjoyed a comfortable outing, defeating Spain's Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez 21-9, 21-13.

The final Indian pair in action, Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi, produced one of the day's most impressive comebacks. The young Indians appeared to be in serious trouble in the opening game when they trailed Spain's Nikol Carulla and Carmen Maria Jimenez 17-20, facing three game points.

Instead of allowing the game to slip away, Kavipriya and Simran won five consecutive points to take it 22-20. They carried that momentum into the second game, winning 21-14 to complete a straight-game victory.

India's five victories ensured a perfect start on home soil. While Shetty's stunning elimination of Shi Yuqi understandably dominated the headlines, the performances across all four disciplines offered plenty of encouragement. The hosts not only advanced all their players in action but also demonstrated composure in pressure situations, particularly Shetty's survival against the defending champion and the women's doubles comeback from 17-20 down.

With the second round now approaching, the challenge will become significantly tougher. But India could hardly have asked for a better opening day.

Five Indians in action. Five victories. And one historic upset. For Ayush Shetty and Indian badminton, the World Championships have begun with a statement.