Indian badminton stars P. V. Sindhu and Lakshya Sen face challenging opening-round matches at the Denmark Open 2026, which begins on October 13 in Odense. Sindhu will meet world No. 1 An Se-young, while Lakshya takes on third seed Chou Tien Chen in the men’s singles competition.
The BWF World Tour Super 750 event offers India’s leading shuttlers an opportunity to recover from recent setbacks and compete against some of the world’s best players.
Sindhu Faces Defending Champion An Se-young
Two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu faces a difficult opening test against South Korea’s An Se-young, the defending champion. Sindhu has lost all 10 of her previous encounters against the Korean star.
The Indian arrives after winning the Japan Open Super 750 title in July. However, she exited the Arctic Open in the quarter-finals after losing to Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon in three games.
Lakshya Sen Looks to Regain Form
Lakshya Sen will begin his campaign against Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen, the tournament’s third seed. Lakshya is looking to regain momentum after an early exit in the individual badminton competition at the Asian Games.
A recent back injury has also affected his preparations. Despite these challenges, Lakshya has demonstrated his ability to compete at the highest level, finishing runner-up at the All England Championships earlier this year.
Ayush Shetty and Kidambi Srikanth in Action
India’s Ayush Shetty faces Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan in the opening round. Ayush will aim to build on his recent progress, which includes winning the US Open Super 300 title in 2025 and defeating former world No. 1 Shi Yuqi at the World Championships this year.
Former Denmark Open champion Kidambi Srikanth, who won the men’s singles title in 2017, opens against France’s Arnaud Merkle.
Indian Women’s Singles Challenge
India’s women’s singles contingent also includes Tanvi Sharma, Ashmita Chaliha, Devika Sihag and Unnati Hooda.
Tanvi, winner of the Taipei Open in August, faces Japan’s Natsuki Nidaira. Ashmita, who won the Korea Masters Super 300 title, meets Bulgaria’s Kaloyana Nalbantova.
Devika takes on Thailand’s eighth seed Pornpawee Chochuwong, while Unnati faces China’s Han Qian Xi.
Satwik-Chirag Aim for a Strong Comeback
In men’s doubles, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will look to bounce back from their first-round exit at the Asian Games. The fifth-seeded Indian pair faces China’s He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu.
In women’s doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand lead India’s challenge after winning a historic bronze medal at the World Championships in August. They begin against Chinese Taipei’s Yan Fei Chen and Hsieh Pei Shan.
India Targets a Strong Denmark Open Campaign
With several Indian players entering the tournament after mixed recent results, the Denmark Open will test their consistency against international competition. Sindhu and Lakshya face particularly difficult opening matches, while India’s emerging players will look to make progress through the draw.