Badminton: Indian Shuttlers Create Buzz at Syed Modi International
The Syed Modi India International 2025 witnessed remarkable performances from young Indian badminton players. Sixteen-year-old Tanvi Sharma pulled off a significant upset by defeating former World Champion Nozomi Okuhara of Japan to secure her spot in the quarterfinals. Adding to the excitement, Manraj Singh also caused a major stir by overcoming seasoned pro HS Prannoy. Other notable Indian shuttlers who advanced to the quarterfinals include Unnati Hooda, Mithun Manjunath, Kidambi Srikanth, Priyanshu Rajawat, Isharani Baruah, and the women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayathri Gopichand.
Tennis: Mixed Fortunes and a Major Upgrade
Indian tennis players displayed strong form at the ITF World Tennis Tour in Bhopal, with SD Prajwal Dev, Dev Javia, and Digvijay Pratap Singh progressing to the second round of the men's singles event. Davis Cup players Aryan Shah and Vishnu Vardhan also reached the doubles quarter-finals. However, India's top singles player, Sumit Nagal, exited the Australian Open Asia-Pacific Wild Card Play-off in the quarterfinals after a loss to China's Yunchaokete Bu. In a significant development for Indian tennis, the Bengaluru Open 2025 is set to be upgraded to an ATP Challenger 125 event, making it the largest ATP Challenger tournament in India and offering enhanced prize money and ranking points.
Chess: Goa Hosts World Cup, CM Pledges School Chess Promotion
The FIDE World Cup 2025, hosted in Goa, concluded with Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov emerging as the youngest champion in the tournament's history. While no Indian players reached the semifinals, V. Pranav and Karthik Venkataraman delivered promising performances. Following the event's success, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced plans to introduce chess in all schools across the state, aiming to foster talent and make Goa a dynamic sports hub.
Football: U17 Team Prepares for Crucial Match, Mohun Bagan Appoints New Coach
The India U17 team is poised for a critical encounter against Lebanon in the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers on November 28th, buoyed by a recent comeback victory over Chinese Taipei. In domestic football, Maharashtra and Mizoram secured wins in the Dr. T Ao Junior Girls National Football Championship, with Maharashtra dominating Himachal Pradesh 14-0. Meanwhile, Mohun Bagan Super Giant appointed Sergio Lobera as their new head coach for the remainder of the Indian Super League (ISL) season.
Other Sporting Highlights
Bengaluru's Jyothsna Venkatesh Naidu achieved a historic feat by winning a gold medal in the Fitness Angel category at the ICN World Natural Games in Dubai, becoming India's first world champion under the ICN federation. The Indian men's hockey team registered a 3-2 victory against New Zealand at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. In a major boost for Indian sports, Ahmedabad has been officially confirmed as the host city for the Commonwealth Games 2030. Additionally, Golom Tinku from Arunachal Pradesh clinched a gold medal in weightlifting at the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) 2025, and Indian Deaflympians were lauded for their record 20-medal haul at the 25th Summer Deaflympics 2025.