Indian badminton star Pusarla Venkata Sindhu is setting her sights on a medal at the upcoming BWF World Championships, scheduled to take place in New Delhi from August 17 to 23. The 31-year-old former world champion emphasized her belief that “everybody is beatable” as she prepares to compete on home soil.
Sindhu, who claimed the world title in 2019 and has Olympic medals from Rio 2016 (silver) and Tokyo 2021 (bronze), is currently ranked World No. 10. Speaking from Tokyo, where she is competing at the Japan Open, she said that minor adjustments and adherence to her game plan are key to her medal ambitions. “Right now, with the game I’m playing, I think I just need to do a little bit of small tweaks and stick to my game plan, irrespective of who the other player is,” Sindhu explained. She stressed the importance of mental resilience, stating, “Just keep fighting for every point.”
Sindhu’s recent form includes a semifinal appearance at the Australian Open last month and a December 2024 title at the Syed Modi India International tournament in Lucknow. She acknowledged that competing in front of a home crowd will bring both pressure and confidence. “There will be pressure, I will not deny that, but at the same time it’s a kind of confidence when you play in your home court,” she said.
India will feature several other medal hopefuls at the championships. Men’s doubles specialists Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty hold the world No. 4 ranking, while singles player Lakshya Sen is ranked No. 14. Sindhu noted the growing popularity of badminton in India and anticipated strong local support. “In India, I think after cricket, badminton is the next big sport,” she said. Sindhu also highlighted the importance of hosting the event in India for inspiring younger players, recalling that the last World Championships held in the country was in 2009 in Hyderabad, her hometown.
Meanwhile, at the Japan Open, two veteran players unexpectedly found themselves competing in a top-tier tournament. Fifty-year-old Kar Lung Chun and his 40-year-old mixed doubles partner Karen Yun Qiao Feng, representing England, were given entry into the main draw following multiple withdrawals. The pair, who have largely competed in lower-level events throughout their careers, faced a tough challenge against Denmark’s European champions Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Boje, losing in straight sets, 21-2, 21-6.
For Chun and Feng, the opportunity to compete at a Super 750-level event was a milestone. Chun, born in Hong Kong and based in Liverpool, described the experience as “amazing” and said the pair was excited to participate despite not expecting to advance. Feng echoed this sentiment, saying she entered the tournament “to challenge myself.” Both athletes dedicate themselves full-time to badminton without the financial rewards or support enjoyed by top-ranked players.
Chun emphasized the importance of perseverance in their careers, saying, “You have to always talk to yourself – ‘you can make it, you can make it.’ If you don’t give up, anything can happen.” Their appearance in Tokyo stands as a testament to their persistence and passion for the sport.