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India endured a mixed opening day at the Denmark Open 2026 badminton tournament in Odense on Tuesday, October 13. Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and former Commonwealth Games champion Lakshya Sen suffered first-round exits, while Kidambi Srikanth and young shuttler Tanvi Sharma progressed to the Round of 16.
Sindhu lost a three-game battle against Germany’s Yvonne Li, while Sen went down to Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien-chen. Srikanth and Tanvi delivered hard-fought wins to keep India represented in the singles draws at the BWF World Tour Super 750 tournament.
Sindhu suffered a narrow defeat against Germany’s Yvonne Li, losing 21-13, 23-25, 19-21 in a match that lasted one hour and five minutes at the SJF Bank Arena.
The Indian made a strong start, taking the opening game 21-13. Li responded in the second game, holding her nerve in a closely contested finish to win 25-23 and force a decider.
Sindhu appeared to have the advantage again in the final game, but Li fought back to secure a 21-19 victory. The result ended Sindhu’s campaign in the opening round.
The defeat was a setback for the Indian star, who had won the Japan Open Super 750 title in July and reached the quarter-finals of the Arctic Open the previous week.
Lakshya Sen also exited the tournament after losing 18-21, 21-13, 15-21 to third seed Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei.
Sen dropped the opening game but responded strongly in the second, winning 21-13 to level the match. Chou regained control in the decider and secured a 21-15 win to advance.
The defeat continued a challenging stretch for Sen, who has been seeking greater consistency on the international circuit. Chou’s experience and ability to regain momentum in the deciding game proved decisive.
Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth provided positive news for India in the men’s singles event, defeating France’s Arnaud Merkle 22-20, 21-19.
Srikanth had to work hard in both games, particularly in the opening game, but closed out the match in straight games after 46 minutes.
The Indian, who won the Denmark Open title in 2017, will next face seventh seed Alex Lanier of France in the Round of 16.
Srikanth’s progression gives India a continued presence in the men’s singles draw as the tournament moves into its next stage.
Young Indian shuttler Tanvi Sharma also advanced after defeating Japan’s Natsuki Nidaira 21-17, 16-21, 21-19 in a contest lasting one hour and 12 minutes.
Tanvi took the opening game but could not finish the match in straight games, with Nidaira winning the second 21-16. The Indian recovered in the decider and edged it 21-19 to complete a hard-fought victory.
Tanvi will next face Yvonne Li, the same German player who eliminated Sindhu. The encounter presents the young Indian with an opportunity to progress further in the women’s singles draw.
The opening-round results brought contrasting outcomes for the Indian contingent. Sindhu and Sen were eliminated despite taking one game each in their matches, while Srikanth and Tanvi showed composure in closely contested encounters.
With the tournament featuring a strong international field, the next round will test the Indian players who remain in contention. Srikanth faces a seeded French opponent, while Tanvi will meet Li after the German’s win over Sindhu.
NDTV Sports — PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen Make First Round Exits; Kidambi Srikanth, Tanvi Sharma Advance In Denmark Open
ThePrint / PTI — Sindhu, Sen make first round exits; Srikanth, Tanvi advance in Denmark Open
India Today — Denmark Open: PV Sindhu suffers first-round exit after Yvonne Li scripts comeback win
Rediff Sports — PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen out early; Kidambi Srikanth, Tanvi Sharma advance
