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Satwik-Chirag overtakes Saina Nehwal's record of spending the most number of weeks at No. 1 in BWF World Rankings

The Indian Badminton pair achieved the top position this year by reaching the finals of the China Open, Malaysia Open and India Open. The French Open title win solidified their stronghold of the number one ranking in the BWF World Rankings.

Mar 30, 2024, 10:40 AM2 min read

Chirag Shetty-Satwiksairaj Rankireddy break Saina Nehwal's BWF World Rankings record. Image- Times Now

Top-ranked Indian men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have overtaken Saina Nehwal's record for most weeks spent at number one by an Indian in the BWF World Rankings. 

Also Read: Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen qualifies for the Paris Olympics 2024

Satwik-Chirag have been at the top for 10 weeks in the BWF World Rankings. According to Olympics.com, Nehwal, who held the previous record, regained the top position on 18 August 2015 and remained there for nine weeks until 21 October 2015. 

The Indian pair, who have secured several historic BWF titles and other championship wins/medals since 2022, achieved the top position this year by reaching the finals of China Open, Malaysia Open and India Open. The French Open title win solidified their stronghold of the number one ranking in the BWF World Rankings. The ranking system takes into account the 10 highest-scoring events by a player/pair in the last 52 weeks.

SAT-CHI's domination at the top

Now, the Asian Games champions have 1,02,303 points on the leaderboard and are more than 5,000 points ahead of second-placed South Korean pair Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae. 

Earlier, Satwik-Chirag became the first Indian doubles pair to reach the top of the BWF World Rankings in October last year. They reached that position after their win at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. But they could remain at the top position only for three weeks. 

Also Read: 10 Inspiring Indian Sportswomen: International Women's Day Special

On the other hand, in men's singles, Kidambi Srikanth reached the top in April 2018 but could stay there only for a week. While legendary shuttler Prakash Padukone, who was the first Indian to clinch the prestigious All England Open title in 1980, was considered number one during his tenure, the computerized ranking point system came into the game much later.  

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BWF US Open 2025: India's Ayush Shetty wins men's singles, Tanvi Sharma finishes as runner-up in women's singles

Ayush Shetty won his maiden Super 300 title by winning the men's singles title at BWF US Open 2025. Meanwhile, 16-year-old sensation Tnavi Sharma finished runner-up in women's singles.

Jun 30, 2025, 10:43 AM2 min read

BWF US Open 2025: India's Ayush Shetty wins men's singles, Tanvi Sharma finishes as runner-up in women's singles | sportzpoint.com

Ayush Shetty won his maiden Super 300 title by winning the men's singles title at the BWF US Open 2025. Meanwhile, 16-year-old sensation Tnavi Sharma finished runner-up in women's singles.

BWF US Open 2025: India's Ayush Shetty wins men's singles, Tanvi Sharma finishes as runner-up in women's singles - sportzpoint.com
Image | BAI on X

Ayush defeated Canada's Brian Yang in straight games 21-13, 21-18 to lift the title. Shetty became the 5th Indian men's singles shuttler to win a Super 300+ title after Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, Priyanshu Rajawat, and Sameer Verma.

After 8 years, India won a title at the US Open in any discipline since H.S. Prannoy won in 2017. 

BWF US Open 2025: India's Ayush Shetty wins men's singles, Tanvi Sharma finishes as runner-up in women's singles - sportzpoint.com
Image | Badminton Photo via BAI on X.

However, it was not a perfect end for 16-year-old Tanvi Sharma as she faced a heartfelt defeat against home favourite and No. 1 seed Beiwen Zhang of the USA 11-21, 21-16, 21-10 in the finals. 

Tanvi, who is now the youngest player ever to reach the final of any Super 300 tournament, had won all the sets until the final. She had defeated WR23, WR58, WR50 & WR40 to reach the final. 

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Timeline: India’s rise at the Olympics

Delve into India's rise at the Olympics through a historical timeline, spotlighting key turning points from the golden era of hockey to individual medals that shaped the nation's flourishing success.

Jun 29, 2025, 8:34 AM4 min read

Timeline: India’s rise at the Olympics | sportzpoint.com

India's journey in Olympic Games began in 1900, but for many decades, success was limited. The nation's presence on the medal tally was defined by mostly one or two medals per edition, with the success of the Men's Hockey teams being the main reason for it.

However, the 21st century marked a turning point, as it saw India's rise at the Olympics. Their success at the Games picked up pace in several new ways.

Check out the full article to see how India's journey transformed:

1996-2008: Individual medals emerge

Timeline: India’s rise at the Olympics | sportzpoint.com
Leander Paes, Karnam Malleswari and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore with their Olympic Medals. Image | Sportzpoint

After years of triumph in Men's Hockey, 1996 Atlanta Olympics saw a change for India, as Leander Paes won a Bronze medal in Tennis. This victory brought in the first individual medal for India in Olympics after 44 years (previously: K.D. Jadhav won in 1952 in Wrestling).

Following this breakthrough, other individual athletes began to make their mark. In the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Karnam Malleswari made history with her Bronze medal win in Weightlifting, and became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal.

Moving to the next edition, the 2004 Athens Olympics saw another individual triumph, with a Silver medal this time. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore brought home India's first-ever medal in Shooting, laying the groundwork for India's extended talent pool beyond hockey.

In 2008, the momentum continued with Abhinav Bindra's Gold (Shooting), Vijender Singh's Bronze (Boxing), and Sushil Kumar's Bronze medal (Wrestling) in the same edition.

Read Also: Most medals by an Indian in a single Olympics

2012: Six Medals and India's Olympic Rise

Timeline: India’s rise at the Olympics | sportzpoint.com
2012 Olympic Medalists from India. Image | sportzpoint.com

The 2012 London Olympics was a truly historic moment for India. For the first time ever, India secured six individual medals in a single Olympic edition, that too in five different sports. This was not just a jump in numbers, but a clear rise for India in the Olympic Games.

Here, take a closer look at the medalists:

Gagan Narang: Bronze Medal in Shooting

Gagan Narang won India's first medal at London 2012, taking bronze in the men's 10m Air Rifle event with a final score of 701.1. He opened the medal books for India in this historic edition.

Sushil Kumar: Silver medal in Wrestling

Sushil Kumar became the first Indian to win two individual Olympic medals (previously in 2008), securing silver in the men's 66kg freestyle wrestling after a hard-fought tournament.

Saina Nehwal: Bronze medal in Badminton

Saina Nehwal earned India's first-ever Olympic medal in Badminton, securing a bronze in Women's singles. With this victory, she also became the second woman, after Malleswari, to win a medal at the grandest stage.

Yogeshwar Dutt: Bronze medal in Wrestling

Yogeshwar Dutt overcame injuries and fought through brilliantly in the men's 60kg freestyle wrestling to secure a bronze medal.

Mary Kom: Bronze medal in Boxing

In the debut of women's boxing at the Olympics, Mary Kom won a bronze in the flyweight (51kg) category, making her the first Indian woman boxer to achieve this milestone.

Vijay Kumar: Silver medal in Shooting

Vijay Kumar clinched silver in the men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol, finishing behind Cuba's Leuris Pupo.

Read Also: Olympic Athletes to Watch in LA 2028 from India

2016-2024: Sustaining the momentum in India's modern Olympic era

India has consistently built upon its Olympic success since 2012, with athletes dominating in different categories of sports. The period from 2016 to 2024 has seen new talents emerge and solidify India's rise on the global stage.

2016 Rio Olympics
Medal Medalist Sport Event
Silver P.V. Sindhu Badminton Women's singles
Bronze Sakshi Malik Wrestling Women's freestyle 58 kg

2020 Tokyo Olympics
Medal Medalist Sport Event
Gold Neeraj Chopra Athletics Men's javelin throw
Silver Saikhom Mirabai Chanu Weightlifting Women's 49 kg
Silver Ravi Kumar Dahiya Wrestling Men's freestyle 57 kg
Bronze P. V. Sindhu Badminton Women's singles
Bronze Lovlina Borgohain Boxing Women's welterweight
Bronze Men's field hockey team Field Hockey Men's tournament
Bronze Bajrang Punia Wrestling Men's freestyle 65kg

2024 Paris Olympics
Medal Medalist Sport Event
Silver Neeraj Chopra  Athletics Men's javelin throw
Bronze Manu Bhaker Shooting Women's 10m air pistol
Bronze Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh Shooting Mixed 10m air pistol team
Bronze Swapnil Kusale Shooting Men's 50m rifle (3 positions)
Bronze Men's field hockey team Field Hockey Men's tournament
Bronze Aman Sehrawat Wrestling Men's freestyle 57 kg

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10 Indian Women Who Made Olympic History

In this article, we will take a look at those Indian female Olympians who made Olympic history.

Jun 23, 2025, 11:37 AM5 min read

10 Indian Women Who Made Olympic History

In a country where sports is often dominated by men, some Olympic stars chose to challenge the ordinary and pave a path for Indian sports women. Indian sport has seen a massive rise in the number of it's female athletes shining at the world stage since the turn of the millennium.

In this article, we will take a look at those Indian female Olympians who made Olympic history.

Also Read: Most medals by an Indian in a single Olympics

Indian Women Who Made Olympic History

1. Karnam Malleswari

10 Indian Women Who Made Olympic History

Weightlifter Karnam Malleswari created history and became the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Olympics. During the Sydney 2000 Games, Karnam Malleswari lifted 110kg in the snatch and 130kg in the clean and jerk categories for a total of 240kg and finished the competition with a bronze medal. She is also the first Indian weightlifter (male or female) to win an Olympic medal.

2. Saina Nehwal

10 Indian Women Who Made Olympic History

Former world No.1 Saina Nehwal put Indian badminton on the global map when she finished with a bronze medal in the women’s singles at the London 2012 Olympics.

Saina Nehwal clinched the medal after her opponent Wang Xin of the People's Republic of China retired due to injury during the bronze medal playoff match. After this, Saina became the first Indian badminton player to win an Olympic medal and has represented the country in three Summer Games (Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016).

3. Mary Kom

10 Indian Women Who Made Olympic History

Star boxer Mary Kom etched her name in Indian sports’ history books by clinching a bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympics. The Manipuri boxer beat Poland’s Karolina Michalczuk and Tunisia’s Maroua Rahali in the first two rounds but lost her semi-final bout to Great Britain's Nicola Adams, settling for the bronze medal.

It was the first Olympic medal in boxing by an Indian woman and only the second after Vijender Singh’s bronze at Beijing 2008. Women’s boxing made its Olympic debut at London 2012.

4. PV Sindhu

10 Indian Women Who Made Olympic History

PV Sindhu built on what Saina Newhal had achieved at London 2012 and took Indian badminton a step further by reaching the women’s singles final at the Rio 2016 Games.

PV Sindhu lost the final to Spain’s Carolina Marin and finished with a silver medal after a hard-fought 83-minute title battle. Despite being the runner-up, PV Sindhu created history by becoming India's youngest individual Olympic medallist, a record which has since been surpassed. She also became the first Indian woman to bag an Olympic silver medal.

5. Sakshi Malik

10 Indian Women Who Made Olympic History

Indian wrestler Sakshi Malik won a bronze medal in the women’s 58kg category at Rio 2016 to become the first Indian woman to win a medal in wrestling at the Olympics.

After notching up wins in the earlier rounds, Sakshi Malik lost to Valeria Koblova of Russia in the quarter-finals. However, with Koblova making the final, Sakshi Malik entered the repechage round and came home with the bronze medal following an 8–5 victory over Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan. Sakshi’s win at Rio was a memorable one as she turned the bout on its head despite trailing 5-0 at one stage.

6. Mirabai Chanu

10 Indian Women Who Made Olympic History

After a disappointing outing at Rio 2016, weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, with a total lift of 202kg, won the silver medal in the 49kg category at Tokyo 2020. With the feat, Mirabai Chanu of Manipur became the first Indian weightlifter to bag a silver at the Olympics.

Mirabai Chanu also became the second Indian weightlifter, after Karnam Malleswari, to win a medal at the Summer Games as well as the second Indian woman, after PV Sindhu, to win a silver medal at the Olympics.

7. Lovlina Borgohain

10 Indian Women Who Made Olympic History

Assamese boxer Lovlina Borgohain emulated the legendary Mary Kom by clinching a bronze medal at Tokyo 2020. Lovlina Borgohain defeated Germany’s Nadine Apetz in the round of 16 and outpunched Chinese Taipei’s Chen Nien-chin in the quarter-finals to secure herself a bronze medal.

However, Turkish world No. 1 Busenaz Surmeneli proved too strong for her in the semi-finals as the Indian finished with a bronze medal.

8. Sania Mirza

10 Indian Women Who Made Olympic History

Inspired by stalwart Serena Williams, who returned to the tennis circuit after having a baby, Sania Mirza has begun to feel her way back into the sport as well. The Indian tennis ace gave birth to a boy late in 2018 and was on maternal duty ever since. But 2020 saw Sania Mirza return to the court.

Building form with every passing match, Sania Mirza made a fourth Olympic appearance at Tokyo 2020, where she made a first-round exit in the women’s doubles alongside Ankita Raina. Sania retired in 2023 as easily the best women's tennis player to emerge from India.

9. Dipa Karmakar

10 Indian Women Who Made Olympic History

Dipa Karmakar, the shining star in Indian gymnastics, has made Olympic history by becoming the first Indian female gymnast to compete in the Olympic Games. She is among the only five women who have been able to master the Produnova vault. Her awe-inspiring performances and fearless spirit have inspired young gymnasts to aim for the stars.

10. Manu Bhaker

10 Indian Women Who Made Olympic History

Manu Bhaker won India's first medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol shooting event. She thus became India's first woman to win a medal in Olympic shooting. A day earlier, she had become the first Indian woman to qualify for an Olympic shooting final in 20 years.

Manu Bhaker scored 221.7 to finish third in the eight-woman final. Oh Ye Jin of the Republic of Korea clinched the gold medal with the new Olympic record of 243.2 and was followed by her compatriot Yeji Kim, who pipped Bhaker to enter the gold medal round and won the silver with the final score of 241.3.

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Indonesia Open 2025: PV Sindhu sufferes second-round defeat against Thailand's world number 8 Pornpawee Chochuwong

PV Sindhu bowed out of the Indonesian Open 2025 badminton tournament after losing to Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong in the Round of 16.

Jun 5, 2025, 12:27 PM2 min read

Indonesia Open 2025: PV Sindhu sufferes second-round defeat against Thailand's world number 8 Pornpawee Chochuwong

Indian star shuttler PV Sindhu has been eliminated from the Indonesia Open 2025 badminton tournament after losing in the round of 16. She was defeated badly by Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong in the pre-quarterfinals on Thursday.

Sindhu shows tremendous fight in first two games

PV Sindhu started the match brilliantly. She won the first game 22-20. She did not give any chance to the opponent to recover in this game. Pornpawee Chochuwong had no answer to Sindhu's aggressive returns as the score read 10-16 in favour in the first game. However, the tables turned completely in the second game.

Where Sindhu looked set to lose the first game, she pulled it right back in to clinch it, as the score read 22-20. After winning the first game, where Sindhu hoped to capitalise, Chochuwong was quick to turn it around, dominating Sindhu in the game, winning it by 21-10; furthermore, she went on to win the third game by 21-18, as Sindhu was eliminated from the Indonesia Open 2025 badminton tournament.

Satwik-Chirag enter quarterfinals

On the other hand, Indian men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty came back from a game down to notch up a win to enter the quarterfinals of the Indonesia Open 2025.

Satwik-Chirag beat Denmark’s Rasmus Kjaer and Frederik Sogaard 16-21, 21-18, 22-20 in a match lasting one hour and eight minutes in the BWF Super 1000 tournament.

Treesa-Gayatri lost

The women’s doubles duo Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also lost 13-21, 22-24 to Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto of Japan in the round of 16 stage.

In mixed doubles, Sathish Karunakaran and Aadya Variyath exited after a straight-game loss against Thailand’s Dechapol Puavarankuroh and Supissara Paewsampran. The scoreline read 21-7, 21-12 in favour of the Thai shuttlers, who wrapped up the match in just 25 minutes.

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Singapore Open 2025: Stawik-Chirag storms into the semifinals with straight-game win over world No. 1

India’s top men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty stormed into the Singapore Open 2025 semifinals with a straight-game win over world No. 1 Malaysian duo.

May 30, 2025, 10:42 AM3 min read

Singapore Open 2025: Stawik-Chirag storms into the semifinals with straight-game win over world No. 1

The Indian men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty performed brilliantly in the Singapore Open 2025 badminton tournament, making it to the semifinals with a straight-game win over world No. 1 Malaysian duo of Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin on Friday.

Also Read : Kidambi Srikanth Stuns Yushi Tanaka to Reach Malaysia Masters Final, First Since 2019

The Indian pair, which has been facing fitness challenges for some time, showed excellent performance in this match. The Indian pair displayed rock-solid defence and controlled the front court with precision to register a 21-17, 21-15 win in a 39-minute quarterfinal clash at the Singapore Open 2025 Super 750 badminton tournament.

Third semifinal of the season

This is their third semifinal appearance of the season, having reached the last-four stage at both the Malaysia and India Open earlier this year.

The former world No. 1 Indians held a 6-2 head-to-head record against the Malaysians going into the match, although they had lost their most recent meeting at the India Open.

Match Report

The match began with two service faults in the first four points and featured short rallies as both pairs looked to execute angled returns and attack at the earliest opportunity. As a result, the score moved evenly from 1-1 to 7-7 before the Indians gained a three-point cushion at the interval, with Satwik dictating the serve and third shot.

The Indian pair maintained the pressure to go up 15-11 before Satwik committed a service error and Izzuddin unleashed a jump smash to narrow the gap to 13-15. A brutal forehand smash from Satwik pushed India ahead at 18-15. Izzuddin then hit one wide, and Chirag, who had earlier sent a shot long, redeemed himself with a straight smash to earn three game points.

Goh buried a service return into the net, handing the Indians the opening game and the early advantage. Chirag made a few errors early in the second game, but the Indians did well to keep pace in the high-speed exchanges, with the score level at 6-6.

Satwik and Chirag then reeled off four consecutive points before an unforced error halted their momentum. A body blow from Chirag forced a weak return from Izzuddin into the net, giving India a four-point lead at the interval. A sharp backhand at the net took the Indians to 15-9 after the break. Satwik then sent down a thunderous smash to make it 16-10.

Though the Indians committed a few unforced errors, Satwik produced another fierce return to earn five match points. They sealed the win after another error from their opponents.

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