Indian badminton star Pusarla Venkata Sindhu is aiming for a medal at the upcoming world championships, scheduled to take place in New Delhi from August 17 to 23. Speaking during the Japan Open, where she is currently competing, Sindhu expressed confidence in her ability to contend on home soil, emphasizing that “everybody is beatable” with the right approach.
Sindhu, 31, is a prominent figure in Indian badminton, having claimed the world championship title in 2019. She also holds Olympic medals, having won silver at the 2016 Rio Games and bronze at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Currently ranked tenth in the world, she recently reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open and secured her last title at the Syed Modi India International in Lucknow in December 2024.
The prospect of competing in front of a home crowd brings both pressure and motivation for Sindhu. She acknowledged the heightened expectations but highlighted the confidence gained from playing on familiar ground. “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.
Sindhu also pointed to the growing stature of badminton in India, noting that it has emerged as the country’s second most popular sport after cricket. Alongside her, other Indian players are positioned as strong medal contenders, including the men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who hold the world number four ranking, and men’s singles player Lakshya Sen, ranked 14th globally.
The world championships have not been held in India since 2009, when the event took place in Hyderabad, Sindhu’s hometown. She views this year’s tournament as a valuable opportunity not only for Indian athletes to compete at the highest level but also for young players to gain exposure and inspiration. “For the youngsters, it will be a good thing to see top athletes who are coming to Delhi and playing at the top level,” she said, underscoring the event’s potential impact on the sport’s development in the country.