Badminton
Australian Open 2026: PV Sindhu, Ayush Shetty lead Indian challenge - Preview
Sindhu enters the tournament as the third seed and is one of the favourites in the women's singles draw.
Ayush Shetty celebrates after reaching 2026 Badminton Asia C'ships Final (Photo credit: Badminton Asia Championships)
India's badminton contingent will return to action at the Australian Open Super 500 tournament in Sydney from June 9-14, with two-time Olympic medallist P. V. Sindhu seeking her first title of the season and rising men's singles star Ayush Shetty looking to find his lost form on the BWF World Tour.
Sindhu enters the tournament as the third seed and one of the favourites in the women's singles draw. The former world champion has shown flashes of form in 2026, reaching the semifinals of the Malaysia Open earlier this year, but is still searching for her first BWF World Tour title since winning the Syed Modi International in 2024.
The Indian star begins her campaign against Peru's Ines Lucia Castillo and could face fellow Indian Isharani Baruah in the second round.
A potential semifinal against Japan's Akane Yamaguchi and a possible title clash with Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong loom later in the tournament.
On the men's side, sixth-seeded Ayush Shetty will lead India's challenge after breaking into the world's top 20. The youngster will open against a qualifier and will aim to make a deep run after his pre-quarterfinal finish at the Indonesia Open last week.
Experienced campaigner H. S. Prannoy and young Kiran George will also be in action as India looks for strong performances across the singles events.
Indian squad for the Australian Open 2026
Men's singles (Main Draw): Ayush Shetty, H. S. Prannoy, Kiran George
Women's singles (Main Draw): P. V. Sindhu, Tanvi Sharma, Malvika Bansod, Anmol Kharb, Aakarshi Kashyap, Tanya Hemanth, Isharani Baruah
Men's doubles (Main Draw): Hariharan Amsakarunan / M. R. Arjun, A Rao Doddavarapu / Pochana Arjun Reddy
Mixed doubles (Main Draw): Dhruv Kapila / Tanisha Crasto
Australian Open 2026 badminton schedule
June 9-10: First round
June 11: Round of 16
June 12: Quarterfinals
June 13: Semifinals
June 14: Finals
Where to watch the Australian Open 2026 live in India
Live streaming of the Australian Open 2026 badminton tournament will be available on the official BWF YouTube Channel. In the later stages, JioHotstar will also broadcast the event in India.
With Sindhu chasing a long-awaited title, India will hope for a strong showing at one of the Super 500 events before the season enters its crucial second half.