All posts tagged: Devika

Devika Sihag wins in 3 sets; Anmol Kharb fritters 11-2 lead in decider vs former Olympic champion

Devika Sihag wins in 3 sets; Anmol Kharb fritters 11-2 lead in decider vs former Olympic champion

Published by Webster

Bronze medals at Thomas Cups don’t have aftermaths. But if the last week has proven anything to upcoming shuttlers, it is that only wins will be considered to be making any headway in Indian badminton. From amongst those needing to prove a point at the Thailand Open in Patumwan, Bangkok, Devika Sihag had the most significant win, defeating Natsuki Nidaira 21-19, 13-21, 21-15 to move into the second round. The Indian ranked No 40 defeated the Japanese No 26. Her state-mate from Haryana, Anmol Kharb, had a tougher opponent in former Olympic champion, Chen Yufei. The once Indian prodigy, who won the National Badminton title at 16, and then proceeded to help India claim the women’s Asian team title, put the Chinese former World No 1 under the pump with a spirited display to lead 21-19, 13-21, 11-2. But she was sloppy thereafter, and a tad clueless thereafter not knowing the best tactical path to close out, as she gave away 19 points thereafter and managed to score only 7. It’s where the big names, …

Uber Cup: Devika Sihag, Isharani Baruah drafted in place of Unnati, Tanvi vs China | Badminton News

Uber Cup: Devika Sihag, Isharani Baruah drafted in place of Unnati, Tanvi vs China | Badminton News

Published by Webster

2 min readUpdated: Apr 27, 2026 07:29 PM IST Isharani Baruah, known for her speedy jump smashes, gets a chance to go up against former Olympic champion Chen Yufei in second singles at the Uber Cup tie between India and China. India have lost to Denmark, and have to do the impossible against China to go through to quarterfinals. In their only previous meeting, Isharani lost 21-12, 21-10 two Aprils ago in 2024 at Uber Cup. The court conditions, though windless, in the small sized arena of Forum Horsens are conducive to faster attacking players, given the faster shuttles being used. Unnati Hooda (WS2) and Tanvi Sharma (WS3), higher in rankings, were replaced by the duo for the 10 pm tie. They had come up short against Denmark, though made amends against Ukraine. Devika Sihaag, ranked 44, was retained from the side that won 4-1 on Saturday, and will play World No 98, Xu Wen Jing. PV Sindhu will take on Wang Zhi Yi in the first singles. The Chinese playing WS1 for the first …

Time for debutants Ayush Shetty, Devika Sihag to step up to Thomas and Uber Cup challenge

Time for debutants Ayush Shetty, Devika Sihag to step up to Thomas and Uber Cup challenge

Published by Webster

The Asian Team championships in February were a disaster for India. However, a rejuvenated Lakshya Sen and a hungry PV Sindhu will want to make amends at the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals to be held in Horsens, Denmark from April 24 to May 3. Sen is in good nick since the All England, and Sindhu who missed the Birmingham meet after being stranded at Dubai in transit, will want to take a shy at the big names in the TUC, akin to badminton’s team World Cup. The Indian men won the Thomas Cup making history in 2022, a feat that many reckon wasn’t as celebrated as it ought to have been. But the core of that team – Sen, HS Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth in singles, as well as India’s best performing international shuttlers, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty – around the Top 5 mark, would want to give it their all in what could be a last shy at title No 2 for the seniors. The men’s section is terribly hard to crack, …

Devika Sihag wins Azerbaijan; Radhika Sharma, sister of Tanvi, clocks first mixed doubles title with Sathwik Reddy | Badminton News

Devika Sihag wins Azerbaijan; Radhika Sharma, sister of Tanvi, clocks first mixed doubles title with Sathwik Reddy | Badminton News

Published by Webster

3 min readFeb 8, 2026 09:51 PM IST Devika Sihag, who won the Super 300 Thailand Masters crown last Sunday, has put in a solid follow up week, winning the Azerbaijan International badminton tournament in Baku. Playing at the Politechnic University Sports Hall, Devika seeded 5th, defeated Navya Kanderi 21-10, 21-13 in 28 minutes. But her run-up to the final was more impressive. The 2024 National champion, defeated southpaw academy mate and senior Ashmita Chaliha 21-19, 21-19 in semis, and 2023 National champion Anupama Upadhyaya, 21-11, 21-14 in quarters. Riding a confidence wave, overcoming Indian opponents whom she used to find tricky earlier, the Thailand title seems to have armed her with momentum. “Indians are always the toughest opponents, tougher than international ones at times, and I’ve played three sets against all,” she had told The Indian Express. After reaching Baku – where both food and conditions – can be challenging (“I carry mum-made dryfruit laddus,” she had said), Devika had told Express how she slept for one full day. “Even sleeping and rest is …

How Devika Sihag clinched the Thailand Masters title

How Devika Sihag clinched the Thailand Masters title

Published by Webster

Trailing 15-20 in the opening game of the quarter-finals against world No 16 Supanida Katethong at the 2026 Thailand Masters Super 300 last week, Devika Sihag scripted a wonderful turnaround. She went on to win seven points in a row to pocket the game 22-20. The Indian shuttler took the second game comfortably to knock out the home favourite. Two days later, she stood on top of the podium with the women’s singles title in the bag. She became only the third Indian women’s singles shuttler, behind legends Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu, to win a Super 300 title or above. “I wasn’t thinking anything at that time [when trailing 15-20 against Kathethong],” recalled Sihag in a conversation with The Bridge. “I just told myself I’ll keep pushing her into rallies and she eventually started making mistakes, which helped me,” she added. Just as she explained, Sihag likes to keep things simple. At 5-feet 9 inches, she is one of the taller shuttlers going around in the world tour circuit. Training alongside double Olympic medallist …

Devika Sihag training with PV Sindhu: How Thailand Masters winner is perfecting her power smash | Badminton News

Devika Sihag training with PV Sindhu: How Thailand Masters winner is perfecting her power smash | Badminton News

Published by Webster

It helps Devika Sihag, that she runs the arduous 400m laps alongside PV Sindhu, and watches from all angles just how far the backswing goes when the former World champ thunders a smash from the back-court. Being tall is a blessing – she’s near 5’9″, but playing tall needs attention to details that need a list of things to do, as long as their frames. “We lack in agility – I mean it’s not as good as those with shorter legs, and need work. But we cover the court easily and can hit steep, down shots and smashes much better,” Devika says, speaking about working alongside Sindhu in Bengaluru. Sindhu’s decisive, destructive power smash from the back, with blazing, unretrievable power, a signature stroke that has kept Indian badminton giddy for a decade, is the 20-year-old Devika’s aspiration. She discovers every day training with her hero, just how tough it is to emulate. “Smash is good and i have good angles on it, but at that next level, I need more power,” the winner of …

Thailand Masters 2026: Devika Sihag crowned champion in women’s singles

Thailand Masters 2026: Devika Sihag crowned champion in women’s singles

Published by Webster

Devika Sihag continued her momentum at the 2026 Thailand Masters Super 300 Tournament, taking it all the way to crown the women’s title at the Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok, on Sunday. The 20-year-old had a comparatively easier win in the final as Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei retired in the second game due to injury at the score of 8-21, 3-6. This is Devika’s first World Tour title and also the first Super300+ title for India in the women’s singles category since Sindhu’s Syed Modi International title in 2024. She is also now only the third Indian to win a women’s singles title of BWF Super 300+ events after the big two- Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu. The former national champion came in limelight after a major win in the quarterfinal against a former top-10 player and home favourite Supanida Kathethong. The youngster also showed her dominance throughout the tournament, winning all five matches in straight games, including three wins against seeded players. In the final, she outclassed her opponent with aggressive play and didn’t allow …

PV Sindhu’s frame-sake, the tall Devika Sihag, claims first Super 300 title at Thailand after opponent retires from injury | Badminton News

PV Sindhu’s frame-sake, the tall Devika Sihag, claims first Super 300 title at Thailand after opponent retires from injury | Badminton News

Published by Webster

3 min readUpdated: Feb 1, 2026 03:07 PM IST Devika Sihag, the 20-year-old shuttler from Hansi in Punjab, who stands tall at 172 cms (5’9″), has struck her first tournament title victory at the Super 300 level. In a brilliant week where she didn’t drop a single set, Devika upset two seeded players, including top seed Supanida Katethong, on way to making the finals. Against a clearly struggling Goh Jin Wei who has played 4 three setters all week, Devika was hardly stretched, winning after her opponent retired when 21-8, 6-3 down. Thailand always portends good omens for Indians as this is where Kidambi Srikanth and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty struck their first titles of note. Devika, whose tall frame helps her with a fluid attack, has struggled to break through due to persistent knee patella issues. She had also been low on confidence this past season as niggles held her back. However, this week, she has benefitted from having former national champ Sayali Gokhale in her corner, who struck a title immediately on …

Rising star Devika Sihag continues dream run, beats another higher-ranked shuttler to enter maiden Super 300 final | Badminton News

Rising star Devika Sihag continues dream run, beats another higher-ranked shuttler to enter maiden Super 300 final | Badminton News

Published by Parlour News

3 min readUpdated: Jan 31, 2026 11:52 PM IST Young Indian shuttler Devika Sihag continued her fine run at the Thailand Masters and defeated World number 35 Huang Yu-Hsun to enter her maiden Super 300 final on Saturday. This is her second big win after she stunned top-seed and world number 16 Supanida Katethong in the quarterfinal on Friday. The 20-year-old unseeded Indian, who claimed her maiden BWF International Challenge title at the Malaysia International last year, registered a 22-20, 21-13 win over the fifth-seeded Huang in the women’s singles semifinal. Before facing Huang, whom she was facing for the first time, Devika had said she would have to be ‘more good at my defence as well as be able to attack’. She started well, sticking to the plan against her higher-ranked opponent, but made a few unforced errors, giving Huang a lead of 18-14. After Huang took two points and made it 20-15 in her favour, it looked like Devika was down and out. However, she saved five game points to seal the opener …

Devika Sihag storms into women’s singles final

Devika Sihag storms into women’s singles final

Published by Webster

Devika Sihag, the lone Indian standing at the 2026 Thailand Masters Super 300, made her way into the women’s singles final on Saturday. Sihag registered a comfortable 22-20, 21-13 win over the fifth seeded Huang Yu Hsun of Chinese Taipei in just 38 minutes in the semi-finals. Sihag, who had stunned the local favourite and top seed Supanida Katethong of Thailand in the quarter-finals, did not have the best of starts against the Chinese Taipei shuttler. The former Indian national champion, in fact, trailed 15-20 in the opening game before saving five game points. She seemed to have turned on a switch from that point as she won seven consecutive points and take the opening game to leave Huang in a state of disbelief. Sihag built on the momentum in the second game and left no room for error as she cruised to wrap up the match in straight games. The final appearance will make her only the fifth Indian women’s singles shuttler after Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal, former world champion PV Sindhu, southpaw Malvika …