Experience prevailed on the opening day of the Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2026 as seasoned campaigners HS Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth overcame younger opponents to reach the men’s singles second round, while 16-year-old Tanvi Sharma announced her arrival with a spirited showing in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Former champion Kidambi Srikanth recovered from a slow start to outlast compatriot Tharun M 15-21, 21-6, 21-19 in a tightly contested first-round clash.
After conceding the opening game, Srikanth dictated proceedings in the second before leaning on his net control and composure in the decider to seal the win in 53 minutes. The victory marked a positive step for the former world number one, who is seeking consistency after a difficult 2025 season.
HS Prannoy, meanwhile, made the most of a late entry into the draw following the withdrawal of world number three Anders Antonsen. The 33-year-old produced a controlled and resilient performance to defeat Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu 22-20, 21-18.
Ranked 38th in the world, Prannoy saved two game points in the opener and relied on patience in rallies and sharp down-the-line smashes to close out the match in straight games. He will face eighth seed Loh Kean Yew in the second round.
Tanvi shines despite defeat, Malvika advances
In women’s singles, teenager Tanvi Sharma came close to a major upset in her Super 750 debut, pushing second seed Wang Zhi Yi of China to three games before losing 22-20, 18-21, 21-13. Tanvi held a game point in the opening game and showed impressive shot variety and deception before fatigue set in during the decider.
Malvika Bansod was the only Indian woman to progress on the day, defeating Pai Yu Po of Chinese Taipei 21-18, 21-19 with a composed performance. However, former world champion PV Sindhu suffered an early exit, going down in three games to Vietnam’s Thuy Linh Nguyen.
