In a series of interesting events, MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan reached the second round of the men's doubles event as India enjoyed a strong opening at the BWF World Championships 2026 in Delhi on Monday. The Indian duo locked horns against Ireland's Scott and Paul Reynolds in its first-round game and quickly gained the upper hand by taking the opening game 21-16.
Arjun and Hariharan stayed in front at 6-4 in the second game when the clash came to an unexpected end. The Irish duo was unable to continue because of an injury and retired from the game, confirming the Indian pair's passage into the next round of the tournament.
Big win for MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan
The challenge, however, is set to get tougher in the Round of 32 stage, where the Indian duo will face South Korea's Kang Min-hyuk and Ki Dong-ju on Tuesday. Kang brings plenty of experience, having previously been crowned a world champion. He won the men's doubles gold medal along with Seo Seung-jae at the 2023 World Champions.
More Indian stars in action
Several Indian stars will also kick off their campaigns on the opening day of the championships. Former world champion and ninth seed PV Sindhu will lock horns against Ireland's Sophia Noble in the women's singles event. In women's doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand will start their campaign against Spain's Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez.
Later in the evening, Ayush Shetty will face a big challenge in the men's singles event. The Indian shuttler is scheduled to take on China's world No.1 and defending champion Shi Yu Qi in a challenging opening-round clash.