PV Sindhu and Ayush Shetty advanced to the Round of 16 at the BWF World Championships 2026 in New Delhi, while Lakshya Sen suffered a surprise second-round exit. Unnati Hooda also bowed out after a closely fought defeat to Canada’s Michelle Li at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. Meanwhile, India’s men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty progressed to the pre-quarterfinals after receiving a walkover in their opening match. Here are the full BWF World Championships 2026 results from Wednesday.
PV Sindhu Advances to BWF World Championships Last 16
PV Sindhu booked her place in the last 16 of the BWF World Championships 2026 after defeating Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang 21-16, 21-17 in 34 minutes at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. The ninth-seeded Indian controlled the opening game before Zhang pushed harder in the second and led 11-9 at the interval. Sindhu stayed composed, levelled the score at 15-15 and then dropped just two more points to close out the match and improve her head-to-head record against Zhang to 3-0.
A much tougher challenge now awaits the five-time World Championships medallist, with third seed Wang Zhi Yi standing between Sindhu and the quarterfinals. However, Sindhu can draw confidence from her perfect 8-0 record against Chinese opponents at the World Championships. She also defeated Wang at the same stage of last year’s tournament in Paris, winning 21-19, 21-15.
Satwik-Chirag Enter BWF World Championships Last 16 After Walkover
Fifth-seeded Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty moved into the pre-quarterfinals of the BWF World Championships 2026 without hitting a shot after Scotland’s Alexander Dunn and Adam Pringle withdrew from their second-round match. The Indian pair had received a first-round bye, but Dunn’s injury during his mixed doubles match forced the Scottish duo to pull out, handing Satwik and Chirag a walkover. The Asian Games champions will next face Indonesia’s 12th seeds Raymond Indra and Nicolas Joaquin.
Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila also booked their place in the last 16 after a comfortable 21-11, 21-11 win over Macau’s Leong Iok Chong and Ng Weng Chi. Satwik and Chirag, who won bronze at the 2022 and 2025 World Championships, are aiming to add another medal at the home edition after entering the tournament on the back of their Singapore Open title in May.
Ayush Shetty Storms Into BWF World Championships Last 16 After Dominant Win
Ayush Shetty stormed into the last 16 of the BWF World Championships 2026 with a dominant 21-8, 21-10 win over Sri Lanka’s Dumindu Abeywickrama at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. The world No. 22 needed just 26 minutes to dispatch the 87th-ranked Sri Lankan and continue his impressive run at the tournament.
The 21-year-old had already made headlines by stunning top seed and defending champion Shi Yu Qi on his World Championships debut. Shetty will now face 11th-seeded Indonesian Alwi Farhan in the next round, setting up a rematch of their 2023 World Junior Championships semifinal.
Unnati Hooda Crashes Out of BWF World Championships After Narrow Loss to Michelle Li
Unnati Hooda’s BWF World Championships 2026 campaign came to an end after a thrilling second-round battle against Canada’s Michelle Li at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. The 18-year-old Indian took the opening game 21-11 with her aggressive approach, but Li fought back strongly to claim the second 21-9. The deciding game went down to the wire, with Li eventually edging Hooda 23-21 to seal her place in the next round.
Hooda had reached the second round after beating Myanmar’s Thet Htar Thuzar 22-20, 21-16 in her opening match. Despite the defeat, the teenager once again showed why she is regarded as one of India’s brightest young badminton prospects. Hooda became the youngest BWF World Tour title winner at 14 and produced a major upset at the 2025 China Open by defeating two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu.
Lakshya Sen Stunned by World No. 92 Garret Tan in BWF World Championships Thriller
Lakshya Sen suffered a surprise second-round exit at the BWF World Championships after American teenager Garret Tan produced a stunning comeback to beat the 14th-seeded Indian 19-21, 21-19, 21-17 in a 73-minute battle. The 18-year-old Tan, competing at the World Championships for the first time, recovered from losing a tight opening game and controlled the second, despite Lakshya saving four game points to stay alive.
Tan continued to trouble Lakshya in the decider with sharp net play and aggressive attacking shots, opening up a seven-point advantage at the change of ends. Lakshya briefly fought back by winning six straight points to cut the deficit to 10-12, but Tan received medical attention after a possible concussion at 17-15. The interruption halted Lakshya’s momentum, and the American closed out the match by winning four of the next six points.
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