India’s hope for BWF World Tour Finals 2024 rest on doubles players.

The BWF World Tour Finals 2024 is scheduled from December 11 to 15 in Hangzhou, China, with a prize pool of USD 2.5 million. As one of the most prestigious badminton tournaments, it gathers the top eight ranked players/pairs across categories from the BWF World Tour rankings. Importantly, a maximum of only two players/pairs from each country can qualify per category.

In 2023, India witnessed its first absence from the BWF World Tour Finals in over a decade. The last time this occurred was in 2010, during the BWF Superseries Finals era before it was renamed the BWF World Tour Finals in 2018. Historically, players like Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth, and HS Prannoy have been consistent representatives.

Many Indian players who excelled at the Paris Olympics 2024 have missed most of the tournaments since then, significantly reducing their chances of qualifying for the BWF World Tour Finals 2024.

Will India have representation in BWF World Tour Finals 2024?

Men’s Singles

Currently, no Indian men’s singles players are in the top eight of the BWF rankings. Priyanshu Rajawat is the highest-ranked Indian player, sitting just outside the top 25. It’s unlikely that players like Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, or HS Prannoy will qualify with only four tournaments left to bridge the gap in rankings.

Women’s Singles

The situation is similar in the women’s singles category, where no Indian players are in the top 25. This marks a surprising downturn considering past performances from PV Sindhu. A qualification from this category seems improbable unless there is a dramatic shift in rankings.

Also Read: Five Malaysia shuttlers who are in race to qualify for BWF World Tour Finals 2024

Men’s Doubles

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are India’s brightest hopes, currently ranked 20th with 47,210 points. While they aren’t in the top eight yet, strong performance in the upcoming tournaments could secure them a spot if they manage to improve their ranking over the next few tournaments.

Women’s Doubles

India’s strength lies in this category, where two pairs are within the top 8:

• Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand (Rank 7, 61,240 points)
• Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa (Rank 8, 56,080 points)

Both pairs are in strong positions to qualify for the 2024 Finals, assuming they maintain their form.

Also Read: Top five players with most appearances in BWF World Tour Finals

Mixed Doubles

Sumeeth Reddy and Sikki Reddy are currently ranked 22nd with 46,720 points. While they are outside the top 16, a strong showing in upcoming tournaments could elevate them into contention for the Finals.

Remaining tournaments in 2024 BWF World Tour

As the 2024 BWF World Tour approaches its climax, several key tournaments remain on the schedule, offering players one last chance to secure their rankings before the prestigious BWF World Tour Finals 2024. The upcoming events are:

• Korea Masters 2024: November 5-10, Super 300
• Kumamoto Masters Japan 2024: November 12-17, Super 500
• LI-NING China Masters 2024: November 19-24, Super 750
• Syed Modi India International 2024: November 26-1 December, Super 300

With these tournaments, players will aim to enhance their rankings and secure spots for the World Tour Finals, making for an exciting conclusion to the 2024 season.

While India’s doubles pairs, especially in women’s doubles, show promise for qualification, there’s work to be done in singles events. In the coming months, it will be crucial for Indian players to improve their rankings and secure spots in the BWF World Tour Finals 2024.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram