The BWF World Championships returned to India after 17 years, and there was plenty of anticipation among the home fans as they waited to see the Indian shuttlers in action. Though the day 1 began at 09:00 AM, the Indira Gandhi Arena started filling up around 4:30 pm. Several sections of the stands remained empty to boot. That was perhaps understandable on the opening day, but if the tournament is unable to draw even 60-70 per cent occupancy on a day when a tournament of such stature is happening in the country for the first time since 2009, it also highlights the need to do more to attract attention towards the event.
There were international fans in the arena too, with some turning up to cheer for Japanese, Danish and other shuttlers from across the world competing at the championships.
Deep Dive
What made Ayush Shetty's victory over Shi Yu Qi significant in the BWF World Championships?
Why was the home crowd's support crucial during Ayush Shetty's match?
How did the conditions at the Indira Gandhi Arena affect the players during the World Championships?
Hariharan Amsakarunan and Arjun got India’s day off to a winning start. Their opponents, Scott Guildea and Paul Reynolds left midway through on account of an injury to the former, and that brought the match to an early end. The Indian pair had already been dominant in the opening game, winning it 21-16.
But the first big cheer from the home crowd came when Teressa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand walked onto Court 1. The Indian women’s doubles pair gave the home fans plenty to celebrate. They dominated their opening match from the start, giving the Spanish pair of Pau Lopez and Lucia Rodrigues little opportunity to find their way back into the contest. Jolly and Gopichand never appeared to slow down and wrapped up the match 21-9 and 21-13 in convincing fashion.
{{/usCountry}}But the first big cheer from the home crowd came when Teressa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand walked onto Court 1. The Indian women’s doubles pair gave the home fans plenty to celebrate. They dominated their opening match from the start, giving the Spanish pair of Pau Lopez and Lucia Rodrigues little opportunity to find their way back into the contest. Jolly and Gopichand never appeared to slow down and wrapped up the match 21-9 and 21-13 in convincing fashion.
{{/usCountry}}The decibel levels, however, reached the peak when PV Sindhu entered the court immediately after them. The two-time Olympic medallist was at her sharpest against Sophia Noble and never allowed her opponent to settle. Sindhu raced through the opening game 21-7, with every winner drawing a jubilant response from the stands. She lost some of that momentum in the second game, but explained after the match that she was trying different things, particularly with her drops and half-smashes.
There was little reason for her not to experiment. With the tournament only beginning, Sindhu has the opportunity to understand the conditions, assess the court and work on different aspects of her game before the tougher rounds arrive.
"It’s fine to try out new things when you’re leading. That is the time you try your drops or half-smashes," Sindhu said after starting her campaign with a comfortable win.
She was also impressed with the conditions at the venue, although she admitted to having butterflies in her stomach when she stepped onto court to begin her campaign. For a player with her experience at the World Championships, that admission showed just how much playing in front of a home crowd still means.
“When I was entering the court, I did have butterflies because the atmosphere is completely different when you play on your home ground. The first time you get onto the court, you don’t know how the conditions are. You’re a bit jittery, you make a lot more mistakes, and then slowly you get used to it," Sindhu said.
"Pressure is everywhere. It’s not just because I’m playing here. We play in different countries against different athletes, and the pressure is always there. Here, it is definitely a privilege. People are talking about me getting another medal, and that is a privilege for me, that I’m still chasing my dreams and trying to progress and get another medal," she added.
By the time Sindhu finished her opening match in style, another Indian youngster was waiting to begin his campaign. Ayush Shetty was under immense pressure as he faced the defending champion. The young shuttler had the attention of the fans seated around Court 1, with many of them glued to the Indian players throughout their time on court.
Ayush responded to the occasion brilliantly, taking the opening game 21-14. But China’s Shi Yu Qi, the defending champion, showed why he is the world No. 1 as he fought back strongly to win the second game 21-13 and force a decider.
With the pressure mounting on Ayush, the home fans made sure he did not feel alone. The cheers grew louder with every point as the Indian youngster battled to stay in the contest.
The third game was every bit as intense as the first two, but the atmosphere inside the arena reached another level. Every point won by Ayush was greeted with a roar. Chants of “Let’s go, Ayush” echoed through the indoor arena.
And it all worked out for the young Indian in the end. Ayush held his nerve in a thrilling deciding game to beat Shi 21-19 and pull off one of the biggest upsets. The world No. 20 had knocked out the defending champion and world No. 1 in the round of 64, producing a victory that will be remembered for a long time.
It was one hell of a clash, and with the home crowd behind him every step of the way, Ayush delivered when it mattered most, and the crowd went berserk.
The final match for India on the day saw Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi close things out with a 22-20, 21-14 win over Nikol Carulla and Carmen Maria Jimenez.
Venue, court and low AQI boost India's image
Meanwhile, World No. 4 Anders Antonsen was full of praise for the conditions at the Indira Gandhi Arena, saying the venue and court were in excellent shape. Hosting a tournament during the monsoon has also worked in India’s favour, with low AQI and no smog to disrupt the players – an issue that had affected the India Open earlier this year.
The Dane, who registered a hard-fought win over Dicky Dwi Pangesty, appeared genuinely satisfied while speaking about the conditions. There was a broad smile on his face as he compared them with those at the last India Open, making it clear that he felt the current conditions were a significant improvement. Hopefully, the Badminton Association of India (BAI) were paying heed that perhaps the monsoon window could be considered for hosting the India Open as well.