India Open 2026: Lakshya Sen Faces Ayush Shetty in Thrilling Delhi Opener

India Open 2026 Shifts to Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium Ahead of World Championships.

For the first time, the India Open, a premier BWF Super 750 event, moves venues — less than 500 metres from the KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium to the larger Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. The change is not just about space: this is also the venue for the World Championships in August, giving players a valuable early look at the 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 watch live on the BWF YouTube channel, with Eurosport providing TV coverage. Social media is already buzzing with images of the stadium, with praise for its scale and aesthetics. Up to four courts will be in action on opening day.

“The stadium is much bigger. I played here around 15 years ago. It takes a while to get used to the conditions. Air conditioning is off, so drift isn’t a big issue, but judging high lifts can be tricky,” said Chirag Shetty.

Lakshya Sen vs Ayush Shetty: Curtain-Raiser Showdown

The opening day highlight is Lakshya Sen vs Ayush Shetty, a clash between senior star and junior prodigy. Lakshya, 2022 champion, faces the 6ft 5in 20-year-old Ayush, widely regarded as one of India’s brightest prospects.

Lakshya’s season began with an early exit in Malaysia, while Ayush stunned former world No. 2 Lee Zii Jia in his Super 1000 debut and pushed world No. 1 Shi Yuqi to three games. The two have met twice on tour, with Lakshya winning both times. Their match, scheduled on Court 2 at 3 pm IST, promises a high-intensity, smash-heavy duel and bragging rights for the Bengaluru training partners.

“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 Looks for Consistency

PV Sindhu, world No. 18, returns after a semi-final run at the Malaysia Open. She opens against Nguyen Thuy Linh of Vietnam, seeking a strong start at home after an injury-managed offseason.

Spotlight on Teenager Tanvi Sharma

At just 16, Tanvi Sharma received a late entry after withdrawals by Chen Yufei and Akane Yamaguchi. The World Junior Championships silver medallist faces world No. 2 Wang Zhiyi in her Super 750 debut. Regardless of the result, the experience promises to be invaluable for the young Indian.

Other Key Matches

• Defending champion An Se-young begins on Wednesday.
• Shi Yuqi withdrew, opening a spot for Tharun Mannepalli, who meets Kidambi Srikanth; Tharun leads 2–0 in their head-to-head.

Indian Stars in Action

Men’s Singles: Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy, Tharun Mannepalli
Men’s Doubles: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty, MR Arjun/Hariharan Amsakarunan
Women’s Singles: PV Sindhu, Malavika Bansod, Tanvi Sharma
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
Mixed Doubles: Dhruv Kapila/Tanisha Crasto, Rohan Kapoor/Ruthvika Shivani Gadde, Ashith Surya/Amrutha Pramuthesh, Dhruv Rawat/Maneesha K