Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn and China’s Li Shifeng suffered shocking first-round exits at the China Open 2026, while Wang Zhiyi staged a comeback victory. India’s P.V. Sindhu and Ayush Shetty advanced with impressive performances, setting up exciting second-round clashes in Changzhou.
The 2026 China Open badminton tournament witnessed a dramatic day of first-round action in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, as several top-ranked players crashed out while others battled through to secure memorable victories. The tournament produced multiple surprises, with Thailand’s second seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn and China’s Li Shifeng suffering unexpected defeats, while home favourite Wang Zhiyi, India’s P.V. Sindhu, and rising star Ayush Shetty progressed to the next round with determined performances.
The biggest upset in the men’s singles came when former world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn was knocked out by Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke in a thrilling three-game encounter. Gemke claimed a remarkable 21-13, 8-21, 21-19 victory, eliminating one of the tournament’s strongest contenders in the opening round. The defeat marked one of the most surprising results of the tournament and highlighted the unpredictable nature of elite badminton competition.
China also faced disappointment in the men’s singles as seventh seed Li Shifeng failed to advance beyond the opening round. Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen produced an impressive display to defeat the Chinese shuttler 21-12, 14-21, 21-18. The victory represented one of the finest wins of Nguyen’s career and dealt a significant blow to the home nation’s hopes in the men’s singles competition.
However, Chinese fans had reason to celebrate in the women’s singles as top contender Wang Zhiyi displayed remarkable resilience. After dropping the opening game to Scotland’s Kirsty Gilmour, Wang responded strongly to win 15-21, 21-5, 21-18 and book her place in the round of 16. Fellow Chinese player Han Yue also showcased fighting spirit, recovering from a game down to overcome Türkiye’s Neslihan Yigit 18-21, 21-7, 21-13.
China’s doubles teams largely enjoyed a successful day despite a few setbacks. Men’s doubles fourth seeds Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang comfortably defeated India’s Hariharan Amsakarunan and Arjun Madathil Ramachandran 21-16, 21-7 to move into the next round. In mixed doubles, top seeds Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping maintained their title ambitions with a commanding 21-9, 21-16 victory over India’s Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde.
Chinese mixed doubles pairs Cheng Xing and Zhang Chi also advanced after securing a 21-19, 21-10 victory, while Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin survived a challenging three-game battle to reach the last 16. However, there was disappointment in the women’s doubles event as Jia Yifan and Zhang Shuxian suffered an unexpected 24-22, 21-17 defeat to Indonesia’s Rachel Allessya Rose and Febi Setianingrum.
India also enjoyed a productive day at the prestigious tournament. Fresh from ending her title drought by winning the Japan Open, two-time Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu continued her impressive form with a hard-fought victory over fellow Indian Unnati Hooda. Sindhu won 21-14, 9-21, 21-10 in a 56-minute contest that showcased her experience and determination.
The victory carried added significance for Sindhu, who avenged last year’s defeat to Hooda at the same tournament. After comfortably taking the first game, Sindhu lost momentum in the second before regaining complete control in the deciding game to secure her place in the second round.
Sindhu now faces one of the biggest tests of her campaign with a second-round clash against China’s former Olympic champion and fourth seed Chen Yufei. The Indian star will enter the match full of confidence after defeating Chen during her successful run to the Japan Open title last week.
Meanwhile, Ayush Shetty produced one of the standout performances of the day by defeating Indonesia’s World No. 11 Alwi Farhan 21-17, 5-21, 21-17. The victory not only secured Shetty’s place in the men’s singles pre-quarterfinals but also served as sweet revenge after Farhan defeated him in the semifinals of the 2023 World Junior Championships.
| Also Read: Maninder Singh Backs India to Overcome T20I Identity Crisis |
With several top seeds already eliminated and emerging players making their mark, the China Open 2026 promises more exciting action as the tournament continues in Changzhou before concluding on Sunday.
