Sindhu Eyes Gold at Hylo Open 2026 After French Open Final
PV Sindhu aims for gold at the Hylo Open 2026 after her French Open final. Lakshya Sen also returns to the tournament he won in 2019.
Fresh off a stellar performance in France, PV Sindhu is ready to spearhead the Indian contingent at the Hylo Open 2026 in Germany. Starting this Tuesday, the world No. 11 and second seed aims to convert her recent momentum into a title victory, following a hard-fought runner-up finish at the French Open last week.
Sindhu's Quest for the Top Spot
The two-time Olympic medallist faced a formidable challenge in the French Open final, where she eventually succumbed to the reigning world and Olympic champion, An Se-young of South Korea. However, Sindhu's overall trajectory on the BWF World Tour this year has been impressive. Her journey to the Hylo Open is backed by a series of strong results, including a victory at the Japan Open in July and semi-final appearances at both the Australian Open in June and the Malaysia Open in January.
Strong Support in Women's Singles
Sindhu is not alone in the women's singles category. India has a robust presence with eight other shuttlers: Ashmita Chaliha, Devika Sihag, Isharani Baruah, Aakarshi Kashyap, Anmol Kharb, Malvika Bansod, Unnati Hooda, and Meghana Reddy Mareddy (qualifying).
Among them, Ashmita Chaliha enters the tournament with high confidence. Having already secured the Korea Masters earlier this year, Chaliha recently achieved a career milestone at the French Open by defeating the three-time world champion from Japan, Akane Yamaguchi. Meanwhile, Devika Sihag faces a steep climb in her opening match against Thailand's world No. 8, Pornpawee Chochuwong.
Lakshya Sen: Seeking a Redemption Arc
In the men's singles draw, the spotlight falls on Lakshya Sen. While Sen holds the prestige of being the 2019 champion of this event, he arrives in Germany looking to shake off a challenging season. The Indian shuttler has struggled for consistency, suffering first-round exits in six of his last seven BWF World Tour appearances this year, and was forced to concede a walkover in the opening round in Paris last week.
Sen will be joined by a strong supporting cast including World Championships bronze medallist HS Prannoy, Ayush Shetty, Kiran George, Tharun Mannepalli, and S. Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian (qualifying).
Doubles Setbacks and Squad Details
It is a lean period for India's doubles campaign. The top-ranked pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, have withdrawn from the tournament following three consecutive first-round exits, the most recent being in Paris. India's only hope in the men's doubles category rests with Arjun Reddy Pochana and Achutaditya Rao Doddavarapu, who will start their journey in the qualifying rounds.
Notably, India will have no representation in the mixed doubles or women's doubles events for this edition of the tournament.
India's Full Squad for Hylo Open 2026:
- Men’s Singles: Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, Kiran George, Ayush Shetty, Tharun Mannepalli, S. Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian (Q)
- Men’s Doubles: Arjun Reddy Pochana-Achutaditya Rao Doddavarapu (Q)
- Women’s Singles: PV Sindhu, Ashmita Chaliha, Devika Sihag, Isharani Baruah, Anmol Kharb, Malvika Bansod, Unnati Hooda, Aakarshi Kashyap, Meghana Reddy Mareddy (Q)