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Saina Nehwal to Satwik Chirag: Full list of India Open badminton winners

Saina Nehwal to Satwik Chirag: Full list of India Open badminton winners

The legendary Prakash Padukone was the first Indian to win the India Open title.

The 3rd edition of the India Open Super 750 is scheduled to commence at the KD Jadhav Indoor Arena in Delhi on Tuesday. The tournament will feature prominent Indian players such as Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty, Lakshya Sen, and others. Since its inception in 2008, the India Open has been an annual event, with the exception of 2020 and 2021 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The India Open began as a Grand Prix gold event for its first three editions before being upgraded to a Superseries tournament. In 2018, it was further elevated to a Super 500 event, and in 2023, it achieved Super 750 status. While the India Open became a regular feature in the BWF calendar in 2008, the event was initially held in 1973. Let us check out the full list of India Open badminton winners.

India Open winners

Prakash Padukone in 1981

The legendary Prakash Padukone was the first Indian to win the India Open title. He accomplished this milestone in 1981, a year after his historic victory at the All England Open. Padukone defeated China’s Han Jian with scores of 9-15, 15-5, 15-12 in the men’s singles final held in Pune.

Saina Nehwal in 2010 and 2015

The 2012 London Olympics medallist Saina Nehwal is the only Indian shuttler to win the India Open title twice. She first won the title in 2010 and then repeated the feat five years later in 2015. Nehwal entered the 2010 India Open Grand Prix as the top seed in women’s singles and lived up to the expectations. She beat Malaysia’s Wong Mew Choo in the final 20-22, 21-14, 21-12 after conceding a hard fought first game. Meanwhile, Nehwal was up against Ratchanok Intanon in the final in 2015.

Jwala Gutta-Valiyaveetil Diju in 2010

Jwala Gutta and Valiyaveetil Diju are the only Indian mixed doubles pair to win the India Open. They clinched the title alongside Saina Nehwal in 2010. Gutta and Diju defeated Singapore’s Chayut Triyachart and Yao Lei in a challenging match with scores of 23-21, 20-22, 21-7. They remained the only Indian doubles pair to win the home title until Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s victory 12 years later.

Kidambi Srikanth in 2015

In 2015, Kidambi Srikanth became the second Indian men’s singles shuttler to win the India Open title, the same year Saina Nehwal secured her second victory. Srikanth had an impressive week, defeating Japan’s Kento Momota in the second round and ultimately overcoming Viktor Axelsen with scores of 18-21, 21-13, 21-12 to claim the title.

PV Sindhu in 2017

PV Sindhu made her mark at the India Open in 2017, a year after winning the Olympic silver at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. She became only the second Indian women’s singles shuttler to win the title, defeating Rio Olympics gold medallist Carolina Marin 21-19, 21-16 in straight games.

Lakshya Sen in 2022

In 2022, Lakshya Sen ended a five-year title drought for India at the India Open. He secured the men’s singles title by defeating Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew with scores of 24-22, 21-17 in the final. Sen had earlier beaten fellow Indian HS Prannoy in the quarter-finals of the then Super 500 event.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty in 2022

Rankireddy and Shetty became the first Indian men’s doubles pair to win the India Open title, the same year as Sen. They took down Indonesia’s Hendra Setiawan and Mohammed Ahsan 21-16, 26-24 in a tense final.

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