Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu lead India to record BWF World Tour season
India achieved a new high in 2026 by securing nine titles and four runner-up finishes in international tournaments.
India's badminton players achieved their most successful BWF World Tour season in 2026, according to the Times of India. The contingent secured nine titles and four runner-up finishes in Super 300 or higher-level events held outside India, surpassing the previous record of six titles set in 2023.
Lakshya Sen secured the Japan Masters title in Kumamoto on Sunday by defeating Japan's Koki Watanabe 13-21, 21-18, 21-14. This victory made Sen the first Indian to win the Kumamoto Masters Japan title and marked his second consecutive World Tour win following the Hylo Open in Germany.
Sen said he was happy to improve on his semifinal finish from last year and expressed a desire to maintain his current form. His season also included a runner-up finish at the All England Open in March.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu also won two titles this year, claiming the Japan Open in July and the Hylo Open in November. She reached the final of the French Open in October, while Kidambi Srikanth finished as runner-up at the US Open.
The men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won two Super 750 titles at the Singapore Open and China Masters. Other title winners included Devika Sihag at the Thailand Masters, Tanvi Sharma at the Taipei Open, and Ashmita Chaliha at the Korea Open.
Women's singles accounted for five of the nine titles won this season. Sen's recent success has improved his chances of qualifying for the BWF World Tour Finals in China, which is scheduled for December 9 to 13.