Saina’s silver and Sindhu’s bronze double: How India have performed at the world championships

The 2017 Badminton World Federation World Championships are almost upon us. The best in the world will fight it out at the most prestigious badminton event of the year in a tournament where rankings and reputation count for little.

This year, India are sending a strong contingent with a lot of hope riding in the men’s singles category. PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal will also be in action as India look to improve their performance of five overall medals in the history of the tournament.

Here’s a breakdown of each of those medals:

Prakash Padukone puts India on the map, 1983

The original Indian badminton superstar. Three years after he won the All England Open in 1980 to put India on the map, Padukone breezed into the semi-finals of the World Championships without dropping a single game. A place in the final seemed there for the taking when he beat Icuk Sugiarto 15-9 in the first game but the Indonesian player made a brilliant comeback to win the next two games. Sugiarto ultimately went on to win the tournament while Padukone had to be content with a bronze, still no mean feat.

Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa stun the world, 2011

India had a new women’s doubles pair, and Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa had already shown they were a force to reckon with, winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in 2010 in Delhi. One year later at the World Championships in London, the unseeded duo fought their way into the semi-finals, eliminating the 11th and 12th-seeded pairs on their way. Unfortunately, they fell to the fifth-seeded pairing of Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei to emerge with a creditable bronze finish.

PV Sindhu pulls off a double, 2013 and 2014

Before PV Sindhu ruled Indian hearts at the Rio Olympics, she was quietly spearheading India’s challenge in women’s singles at the Championships. In 2013, she upset second seed Wang Yihan in the third round and seventh seed Wang Shixian in the quarter-finals. Unfortunately, the tenth seed lost to Thailand’s Ratchanok Inthanon in the semis.

Next year, she raised hopes of an entry in the final with a sparkling comeback win over second seed Wang Shixian in the quarters, only to go down to, who else, Carolina Marin, who beat her again in the final of the Rio Olympics.

Saina Nehwal creates history in 2015

India’s long quest for a medal other than bronze at the World Championships was finally put to an end by Saina Nehwal in 2015 when she became the first player from the country to enter the final of the prestigious tournament. The second-seeded Nehwal lived up to her billing, waving away challenges including a spirited comeback from sixth seed Wang Yihan in the the quarters.

Facing an unseeded Lindaweni Fanetri in the semi-finals, Nehwal made history by beating her 21-17, 21-17 to progress to the final. Unfortunately, hopes of a dream gold were soon put to rest when top seed Carolina Marin beat her 21-16, 21-16.

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