Chance for Tanvi, Srikanth at badminton World Championships after withdrawals

With several withdrawals anticipated at the Delhi Badminton World Championships, reserve players Tanvi Sharma and Kidambi Srikanth could secure spots in the singles draws starting Monday. Mixed doubles teams may also experience lineup changes due to the expected withdrawals. The Japanese men's doubles pair, Takuro Hoki and Kobayashi, have reportedly withdrawn, while a Taiwanese pair's absence led to invitations being extended to Amruta and Surya.

Tanvi Sharma, a junior World championship silver medallist and Kidambi Srikanth, a senior silver winner from 2021, are currently on standby to fill the slots. Other potential candidates for the singles draws include HS Prannoy, Ashmita Chaliha, and Rakshitha Ramraj, depending on the number of players who withdraw. The withdrawals of seeded players may cause disruptions in opponent-centric preparations, as organizers work to maintain balanced draws.

This will be India's second time hosting the badminton World Championships, with the last event held in Hyderabad in 2009. Among the ten entries for this edition, three players have previously won medals: PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, and the doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty. Sindhu, the most decorated Indian badminton athlete, has won five medals, including her historic gold at the 2019 World Championships in Basel, Switzerland.

Lakshya Sen won bronze at Huelva 2021, while Satwiksairaj and Chirag Shetty claimed bronze at Tokyo 2022 and Paris 2023.