India’s rising shuttler Ayush Shetty is set for a high-profile debut at the YONEX-SUNRISE India Open 2026, where he will face compatriot Lakshya Sen in the opening round. Speaking at the pre-tournament press conference in New Delhi on Monday, Shetty said the matchup carries special significance as he prepares for his first appearance at the HSBC BWF World Tour Super 750 tournament.

“Playing Lakshya in the first round is definitely a big challenge,” Shetty said. “He has a lot of experience at this level, and for me it’s a great opportunity to test myself right at the start of the tournament, especially in my debut at the India Open.”

After a breakthrough 2025 season, Shetty arrives in New Delhi with growing confidence, having claimed the YONEX US Open 2025 title and recorded wins over several established players on the HSBC BWF World Tour, included Ayush Shetty last week in Kuala Lumpur.

“Winning the US Open gave me a lot of confidence,” he said. “Beating top players last year showed me that I can compete at the senior level, but I know there’s still a lot to improve.”

His compatriot Sen, on the other hand, returned to the top 15 of the men’s rankings after winning the SATHIO GROUP Australian Open 2025 in November.

Shetty also reflected on his recent training stint in Dubai, where he trained alongside two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen, describing the experience as an important step in his development.

The YONEX-SUNRISE India Open 2026 also moves to a bigger arena, the Indira Gandhi National Indoor Stadium, which is the venue for the BWF World Championships 2026 later in August.

Men’s singles world No.1 Shi Yu Qi, who retired in Sunday’s PETRONAS Malaysia Open 2026 final against Kunlavut Vitidsarn, is a no show in New Delhi this week as he recovers from that setback.

The women’s singles field will see An Se Young out to defend her crown from last year and continue her dominance on the court. She plays Nozomi Okuhara first up. Women’s world No.3 Akane Yamaguchi is another high-profile withdrawal following her injury last week.

Local youngsters Tharun Mannepalli and Tanvi Sharmi have gained promotion into the men’s and women’s singles draws respectively. Other withdrawals and promotions as follows.

Withdrawals

Men’s singles: Shi Yu Qi (CHN), Weng Hong Yang (CHN)

Women’s singles: Akane Yamaguchi (JPN), Sim Yu Jin (KOR)

Men’s doubles: Kim Gi Jung/Kim Sa Rang (KOR)

Women’s doubles: Jia Yi Fan/Zhang Shu Xian (CHN)

Promotions

Men’s singles: Justin Hoh (MAS), Tharun Mannepalli (IND)

Women’s singles: Huang Yu-Hsun (TPE), Tanvi Sharma (IND)

Men’s doubles: Kang Khai Xing/Aaron Tai (MAS)

Women’s doubles: Ashwini Bhat K./Shikha Gautam (IND)

Click here to view the updated draw.

YONEX-SUNRISE India Open 2026 starts tomorrow, with the first match scheduled at 10am local New Delhi time (UTC +5.30).