Calm before storm at Worlds, shuttlers want badminton to do the talking

Sindhu might have won at Basel, but as she chases her sixth medal, she is dialled into the 2017 loss. (BAI Photo)

As badminton’s biggest jamboree returns to India after 17 years, with the hosts anxious about pulling off a global event seamlessly, the top-tier athletes are offering their approval to an “improved arena,” resembling humble invitees at the mercy of hosts.

They know about the monkeys and pigeons, but laud the efforts undertaken to negate all that went wrong in January. Perhaps, the venue mirrors their own tentative mindset in an injury-ravaged season with several top names neither completely fit, nor completely confident. Badminton, indeed, revels in its reserve.

At its grandest stage, it falls back on the opposite of boxing’s trash-talk. It politely reveals wounds and weaknesses, lulling opponents. A day before the World Badminton Championship, World No 1 An Se-young had ice bags strapped to her left knee when she came to speak to the press. She insisted the lead-up has been solely about injury recovery and rediscovering rhythm. Her opponent Chen Yufei concedes compatriot Wang Zhi Yi is better prepared than her, and she’s only just finding her way back into battle-mode. Zhi Yi, a potential PV Sindhu roadblock, stresses on how tough it is to play the Indian.

ALSO READ | Why PV Sindhu at World Championships is a nightmare for Chinese stars

Neither Chinese will reveal their level of preparation in the bid to reclaim a title China has not won since 2011, because the murmurs over the elusive World title have turned into a clamour. Yufei claims her strategies have nothing to do with who the opponent is. Yet, at the mere mention of defending champion Akane Yamaguchi, her facial expression freezes in time. Clipped clichés about focusing on self, follow.

Men’s singles No 2 and former champion, Kunlavut Vitidsarn almost concedes he is in a testing phase after an injury lull, and says the Delhi Worlds are not much more than a training pad for next month’s Asian Games — a title he hasn’t won. He acknowledges the new generation has increasingly made his life difficult, with the likes of Alex Lanier, Lin Chun Yi and Ayush Shetty snapping at his heels. Kunlavut is from Lakshya Sen’s batch and ought to have seen Viktor Axelsen’s exit as an opportunity, but there’s no dearth of Christo Popovs and Alwi Farhans waiting to dislodge him, already a seasoned senior. He is 25, and sport is seldom kind.

In men’s doubles, there is hardly anything to separate the top 10. Former champions Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik are reuniting in Delhi, having spent the last few months playing with different partners. “We are playing together for years, so tuning won’t be a problem,” Chia insists. Seo Seung-jae, arguably the most versatile player in Delhi and the only contemporary two-gold winner at mixed and doubles, has his left shoulder in an iced plastic sling, and refuses to think beyond the Round of 32. He and Kim Won Ho lost next to nothing till April of 2026, but have tapered off at the last four tournaments. Even the boisterous Chinese, Liang Weikeng remains subdued, lacking clarity on expectations. These are serial medallists at the Olympics and Worlds, but it is not in badminton’s DNA to talk up their own chances. They’d rather keep expectations low. In this sport, they hide the Jekyll.

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The sweetest silence belongs to men’s singles World No 1 Shi Yuqi, who has been handed the tall Ayush Shetty challenge in Round 1. The Chinese declined to speak to the media, even risking a hefty fine. In a rapid-fire, Ayush was asked who might win. “Ayush Shetty,” he said with a straight face. He will need to walk and talk, because Yuqi won’t. “I try to feel relaxed, and enjoy as much as possible,” Ayush says of his pre-match mindspace ahead of a World’s debut.

The other Shetty, the older one with two Worlds medals already, is less emphatic. The Sat-Chi pair does think and analyse, but does not overthink and over-analyse. What do they, then, talk about before the opener? “If there are jitters, it’s natural. It’s better to voice it out,” he says. Lakshya Sen guards against complacency. “We don’t want to take it easy in the first round, so we are more alert,” he says of avoiding nasty surprises. Sen tends to get better as tournaments progress. “Everybody has a chance, but I believe in myself.”

PV Sindhu and Nozomi Okuhara are legends of World Championships folklore. “2017 was obviously my favourite because I was champion. But I have happy memories of 2019 (reaching the final) too,” Okuhara says. Sindhu might have won at Basel, but as she chases her sixth medal, she is dialled into the 2017 loss. “I was hard on myself after that loss. But it made me stronger,” she recalls.

In badminton, regardless of the stature of the shuttler, one is likely to have a penchant for the lull. Delhi, hence, can only await the storm that follows. It almost always does.

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Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More