The prestigious BWF Badminton World Championships are returning to India after 17 years and bringing the capital back to the international stage and bringing the world's attention back to the city. The 30th edition of this huge event will be held from 17 to 23 August at Indira Gandhi Arena in New Delhi. This was the first time India saw such a big event in Hyderabad in 2009 so the upcoming week long festival is a big homecoming for the nation's badminton fans.
The high-stakes championship will be held in five categories: Men's singles, Men's doubles, Women's singles, Women's doubles, and Mixed Doubles. Being the host nation, India is able to get two entries in all five categories of the tournament which is a good balance that allows it to be a competitive tournament.
Moreover, the home team has secured the top 16 seeds in each of the five categories, missing out only in the women's doubles. And as per the Badminton World Federation, the top 16 seeded pairs will be able to take the second round and give themselves a little time for the tournament to take shape as a double. But it is different for singles draws of 64 players as every single player, especially the top players of India, will begin their grueling competition from the very first round.
Leading the charge for the host country are many world class players with high expectations. In men's doubles category, the world class Asian Games gold medalist pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have been given 5th seed as the top seed and are high-profile medal contenders. In women's singles division, the veteran two-time Olympic champion and world champion PV Sindhu is 9th seed with a lot of history at home and is looking to make an impact.
The men's singles features young talent Lakshya Sen with 14th seed and the dynamic mixed doubles duo of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto at 15th seed. The Indian players are now all set and the draws are in place, and with a big home base and a big pool of players, they have the potential to challenge international powerhouses and turn the local scene into a historic podium finish.
