- Devika Sihag ( PC : Instgram)
Indian badminton seems to have found a player for the future at Thailand Masters 2026. The 20-year-old Devika Sihag continued her giant-killing run in Bangkok and stormed into the final of this Super 300 event.
In the semi-finals, Devika defeated the fifth-seeded Huang Yu-Hsun of Chinese Taipei 22-20, 21-13. In the previous round, the Indian had defeated top seed and home favourite Supanida Katethong. In Sunday’s final, Devika’s opponent will be Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei.
Playing the fourth BWF World Tour event of her career, the World No. 63 has shown tactical maturity throughout the tournament. Winner of the 2025 Malaysia International Challenge, she is yet to drop a game in Bangkok.
The player from Haryana became the first Indian to reach a final of a Super Series event in 2026. She is only the fifth Indian to do it in women’s singles, after Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Malvika Bansod and Tanvi Sharma.
The opening game was a test of nerves for the tall Indian, who was trailing 15-20. Devika staged an incredible comeback displaying composure, top-notch footwork, amazing front-court deception and deep smashes from the baseline. She forced the Chinese Taipei player into errors and reeled off seven points in a row to snatch the game 22-20. This turnaround shifted the momentum of the match.
The magical comeback by the Indian left Huang frustrated and she committed several unforced errors. Building on that and her psychological edge, Devika led 11-5 at the mid-game interval. After the break, she tightened her defence and used her height to unleash sharp smashes, earning seven game points. She comfortably closed out the match in 38 minutes with a strong crosscourt smash.
Having won the Swedish Open and Portugal International in 2024 and the Malaysia International Challenge last year, Devika is one win away from a first BWF World Tour title.
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