Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and rising Indian shuttler Tanvi Sharma have advanced to the second round of the women's singles competition at the Australian Open Badminton Championships 2026 in Sydney. The BWF Super 500 event is being held in Sydney, Australia.
Sindhu's Dominant Victory
World No. 10 PV Sindhu needed just 32 minutes to dispatch Ines Castillo of Peru with a score of 21-13, 21-11 in her opening-round match. The Indian star showcased her class and experience, controlling the game from start to finish.
In the pre-quarterfinals, Sindhu will face compatriot Isharani Baruah. Ranked 39th in the world, Isharani secured her place in the second round after battling past China's Han Qianxi 22-20, 10-21, 21-14 in a hard-fought three-game encounter. This will be the first head-to-head meeting between the two Indian badminton players.
Tanvi Sharma Shows Promise
Tanvi Sharma, who clinched a silver medal at last year's BWF World Junior Championships, showed encouraging signs of a return to form with a 21-12, 22-20 victory over world No. 11 Chiu Pin-Chian of Chinese Taipei. The world No. 36, who broke into the top 50 from outside the top 100 last year following a string of strong performances, has struggled for consistency this season, progressing beyond the first round only twice in eight BWF tournaments so far.
In the second round on Thursday, Tanvi will face compatriot Malvika Bansod, who defeated Thailand's Tonrug Saeheng 15-21, 21-7, 21-13 to book her place in the last 16.
Men's Singles Campaign Ends
India's challenge in the men's singles ended in the first round following defeats for Kiran George, Saneeth Dayanand, and Tharun Mannepalli. The men's singles squad also included HS Prannoy and Ayush Shetty, but they did not advance past the first round.
Other Indian Participants
The Indian contingent in the Australian Open includes several players across categories. In men's doubles, MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan, as well as Achutaditya Rao Doddavarapu and Arjun Reddy Pochana, are competing. In women's singles, apart from Sindhu, Tanvi, Malvika, and Isharani, other Indian players include Anmol Kharb, Aakarshi Kashyap, Tanya Hemnath, and Imad Farooqui Samiya (qualifier). In mixed doubles, the pairs are Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto, Dhruv Rawat-Manisha Keer, and Mohit Jaglan-Lakshita Jaglan.
The Australian Open Badminton Championships 2026 continue with exciting matches ahead.
