Sindhu and Shetty secure commanding wins advancing to pre-quarterfinals

Indian badminton powerhouses PV Sindhu and Ayush Shetty secured straight-game victories on Wednesday to reach the BWF World Championships 2026 pre-quarterfinals. Fans at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium witnessed thrilling action as mixed results defined the day for the host nation.

Shetty Continues Winning Streak

Following his stunning opening-round upset over the defending champion, Shetty delivered another dominant performance. He defeated Sri Lanka's Dumindu Abeywickrama 21-8, 21-10 in just 26 minutes during the men's singles Round of 32. Shetty established an early 11-3 lead in the first game. He then built an 11-point advantage in the second game to quickly seal the match. He will now play Indonesia's Alwi Farhan in the Round of 16 on Thursday.

Sindhu Advances While Others Fall

Five-time world medallist PV Sindhu successfully handled late pressure from Canada's Wen Yu Zhang to win 21-16, 21-17. Sindhu showed exceptional composure during the closing stages of both games to finish the contest in straight games.

Unfortunately, several prominent Indian players faced early exits. World number 92 Garret Tan of the USA shocked 14th-seed Lakshya Sen 19-21, 21-19, 21-17 in a thrilling second-round clash. Eighteen-year-old Unnati Hooda lost her debut championship match to Canada's 13th-seed Michelle Li 21-11, 9-21, 21-23. In men's doubles, Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun fell to South Korea's Kang Min Hyuk and Ki Dong Ju 17-21, 14-21. Mixed doubles partners Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto progressed by beating Macau's Leong Lok Chong and Ng Weng Chi 21-11, 21-11. Meanwhile, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty advanced following a walkover from their Scottish opponents.