India Open will be moving to a new address this time. New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Stadium (IGI) will be hosting the 9th edition of the World Tour Super 500 badminton tournament scheduled to start from March 26 to 31.
After 8 successful years, the elusive $ 350,000 tournament will be back for its 9th edition in the capital for the event.
This India Open has been previously held at the Siri Fort Sports Complex for the last 7 years.
#BAdminton India Open Badminton is set to return for its ninth edition, boasting of some of the best names in the business. With lucrative prize money of $350,000, the tournament begins on March 26 and the finals on March 31. @NBT_Sports @bwfmedia @NBTLucknow @sandhyatimes4u
— SANJEEV KUMAR (@sanjeevmediaNBT) March 1, 2019
India Open Tournament in the past
In the past, the IGI has the distinction of hosting landmark sports events such as the 1982 Asian Games and more recently, the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships.
All the matches are scheduled to be played at the K.D. Jadhav Indoor Hall which is located within the IGI stadium.
“Historically India has registered good results in this tournament & I am confident our players will repeat the feat this year too. Especially playing at a new & historic venue like Indira Gandhi Stadium,” said Himanta Biswa Sarma, BAI President.
This year’s India Open will be a highly competitive affair with some of the top shuttlers expected to arrive from an Olympic Qualification point of view. The qualifications would be starting later this year, with the players trying to collect as many ranking points as possible to ensure a direct entry for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
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India’s Performance in India Open Badminton So Far
India has been the fourth-best performing nation in terms of titles won at the India Open so far. Since its inception in 2008, the nation has managed to win 5 titles on the home turf, the same number as Thailand and Malaysia. Three of those five have come from Women’s Singles event, Saina Nehwal clinching 2 followed by PV Sindhu’s solitary title.
#SainaNehwal wins Indian Open Badminton tournament pic.twitter.com/22plTkfdqq
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) March 29, 2015
Srikanth Kidambi won the Men’s Singles event way back in 2015, while the duo of Jwala Gutta and Valiyaveetil Diju clinched the title in the Mixed Doubles event in 2010.
China has been the most successful nation in the India Open, having won 12 titles.
Schedule
The Yonex-Sunrise India Open will take place between 26-31 March 2019.
About India Open
India Open is a premier badminton event in India annually since 2008. It is a BWF World Tour Super 500 Grade international badminton tournament.
While its first 3 editions were Grand Prix Gold events, the Indian Open was later promoted to the BWF Superseries tournament in 2011.
Ever since it has been held annually at the Siri Fort Sports Complex in New Delhi. In line with the new BWF events structure, India Open is categorized as one of the seven BWF World Tour Super 500 events since 2018.
