Under the bright lights of the Singapore Indoor Stadium, India’s badminton campaign at the Singapore Open 2026 began with a statement performance from two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, who looked composed, sharp, and confident in her opening-round clash against Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani. The former world champion defeated the fifth seed 21-17, 21-18 on Tuesday to move into the Round of 16 of the prestigious BWF Super 750 tournament.
For Sindhu, the victory carried significance beyond just progression into the next round. Entering the tournament after skipping the Malaysia Masters last week, the Indian star showed encouraging rhythm and intensity against a top-ranked opponent. The win also helped her level the head-to-head record against Wardani at 3-3, underlining her ability to respond under pressure against one of the fastest-rising names in women’s badminton.
The 2022 Singapore Open champion started strongly and controlled the rallies early in the opening game with her trademark attacking strokes and sharp court coverage. Wardani, however, fought back and narrowed the gap late in the game. With the score tied at 16-16, Sindhu raised her level at the perfect moment, winning five consecutive points to seal the opener in commanding fashion.
The second game proved more competitive as both players exchanged quick rallies and tight net play. Wardani attempted to disrupt Sindhu’s rhythm with aggressive returns, but the Indian remained calm during crucial points. Her experience and tactical discipline eventually made the difference as she wrapped up the contest in straight games after 48 minutes.
Sindhu’s performance will come as a major boost for Indian badminton fans, especially after an inconsistent phase over the past few months. The 30-year-old has been working to rediscover her best form ahead of the crucial Olympic qualification cycle leading into Los Angeles 2028. With several young stars dominating the women’s circuit in recent years, Sindhu’s ability to still challenge top-ranked opponents continues to remain vital for India’s badminton hopes.
The Indian will next face Japan’s Riko Gunji in the pre-quarterfinals. Gunji is regarded as one of Japan’s emerging talents and is known for her speed and defensive consistency, setting up what promises to be an intriguing contest for a place in the quarterfinals.
India also had reason to celebrate in men’s doubles, where the world No. 4 pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty survived a tough opening-round battle against Chen Zhi Yi and Presley Smith. The Indian duo lost a dramatic first game 26-28 despite saving seven game points but responded brilliantly to win the next two games 21-15, 21-13.
The comeback victory once again highlighted the resilience and chemistry of the Asian Games gold medallists, who remain among India’s strongest medal contenders on the international circuit. Satwik and Chirag will next face the Chinese Taipei pair of Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan in the Round of 16.
However, it was a disappointing day for some of the other Indian shuttlers. Young men’s singles player Ayush Shetty suffered a first-round exit despite taking the opening game against Canada’s Victor Lai 21-11. Lai bounced back strongly to claim the next two games 21-14, 21-12 and knock the Indian out of the tournament.
Several other Indian players, including women’s singles youngster Unnati Hooda, also bowed out in the early stages, making Sindhu’s composed victory even more important for India’s campaign at the Singapore Open. As the tournament progresses, much of the spotlight will remain on the experienced Olympic medallist, who once again showed that she can rise to the occasion on the big stage.
