NEW DELHI: Former champion Kidambi Srikanth and the experienced H S Prannoy rolled back the years to progress to the men’s singles second round, while 16-yearold Tanvi Sharma impressed despite defeat on a mixed opening day for India at the Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2026, a BWF World Tour Super 750 event, on Wednesday.
The 32-year-old Srikanth recovered from a sluggish start to outlast compatriot Tharun M 15-21, 21-6, 21-19 in a testing first-round contest. The former world No 1 struggled with consistency in the opening game but found his rhythm thereafter, dominating the second before holding his nerve in a tight decider.
Prannoy, 33, produced a composed display to overcome Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu, last year’s runner-up, 22-20, 21-18. The Indian controlled key rallies and closed out both games despite late resistance from his higher-ranked opponent.
Malvika Bansod was the only other Indian to reach the second round on Wednesday. The left-hander defeated Chinese Taipei’s Pai Yu Po 21-18, 21-19 in the women’s singles, showing control in the crucial phases of both games.
Teenager Tanvi Sharma, the world junior championships silver medallist, came close to causing a major upset against second seed Wang Zhi Yi of China. Tanvi held a game point in the opening game but failed to convert it, eventually losing 20-22, 21-18, 21-13 in an absorbing contest lasting one hour and nine minutes. The youngster faded in the decider but left a strong impression with her shot selection and fighting spirit.
Former world champion P V Sindhu suffered an early exit, going down to Vietnam’s Thuy Linh Nguyen 20-22, 21-12, 21-15 in the opening round. Sindhu rallied well after dropping the first game but could not sustain the momentum in the decider.
Haven't seen anything bad: Srikanth defends playing conditions
Srikanth defended the conditions at the venue, saying he had not encountered anything unusual.
“Every country has its own conditions,” said the 2021 world championships silver medallist. “In Singapore there is drift, in Malaysia a little less. Earlier in Indonesia it was very fast. Every country has its own challenges.”
Sindhu also echoed similar views, stating that the facilities were adequate despite the criticism surrounding the tournament.