PV Sindhu Gets Home Advantage At BWF World Championships 2026 After China Open Scheduling Row

New Delhi, August 4: Just days after raising questions over the China Open 2026 schedule, PV Sindhu is set for a fresh start at home. The Indian badminton star will lead the country's campaign at the 2026 BWF World Championships in New Delhi, where she is the ninth seed in women's singles.

During the China Open, Sindhu made a light-hearted remark about the match schedule saying some players appeared to get better timings than others.  She took the sarcastic dig after alleging that there was difference in recovery time given to her and her opponent after her heart-breaking loss to Chinese shuttler Chen Yu Fei.

Now, the focus shifts to the World Championships. Playing in front of home fans at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, Sindhu will hope to make the most of the home advantage and put together a strong campaign.

India will also have several other seeded players in the tournament. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are the fifth seeds in men's doubles. Lakshya Sen, who won a bronze medal at the World Championships in 2023, is seeded 14th in men's singles. Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto are the 15th seeds in mixed doubles.

The BWF World Championships will be held from August 17 to 23, while the official draw will take place on August 5. The tournament will begin with the opening rounds before moving to the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals. It will also mark the return of the World Championships to India after 17 years.

Sindhu goes into the tournament on the back of her Japan Open title, giving her confidence ahead of one of the biggest events of the year. With home support behind her, she will be hoping to challenge for another World Championships medal.

The organisers have also made several improvements to the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium after the India Open earlier this year faced criticism over venue conditions. Better lighting, improved air-conditioning, roof repairs and steps to prevent bird and animal intrusions have all been put in place.

After the China Open scheduling discussion, Sindhu now has a chance to make the headlines for a different reason. With India's top shuttlers seeded across multiple events, the home World Championships could be an important tournament for Indian badminton.