Before Devika Sihag became the Thailand Masters 2026 champion, she was a lean, tall, quiet and shy girl from Haryana who didn’t initially fall in love with the shuttle. Enrolled in badminton at the age of 12 at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula, alongside her younger brother Ishan, by her father, Devika initially felt the pressure of balancing sport and studies and didn’t enjoy it much. Slowly, however, as results started coming, she fell in love with the fast-paced sport.
Her mother, Sunil Maan, a teacher, convinced her father to allow Devika to move to Bengaluru’s Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy (now the Centre of Badminton Excellence) to hone her skills when she was 14 years old. Initially, she struggled living away from home, but years later, the sacrifice has paid off. The 20-year-old has become youngest and only the third Indian women’s singles shuttler, after the legendary Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu, to win a BWF World Tour Super 300 title.
Sagar Chopda, Head Coach at the Centre of Badminton Excellence (CBE), recalls his first fond memory of Devika as a lanky, shy, silent yet mischievous girl. “She joined about six years ago, when she was around 14,” he recalled. “She is someone who is very quiet but also quite mischievous. Quietly, she will crack a one-liner. Within her group, whether boys or girls at the academy, she gels very well with everyone.”
World No. 63 Devika entered the tournament as an unseeded player and was clinical throughout at Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok. In the final, she dominated Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei in the opening game, winning 21–8. In the second game, she was leading 6–3 when Goh suffered a hamstring injury and retired, handing Devika her first BWF World Tour title. While it was a cherished moment, Devika showed little emotion – a trait that defines her success: staying cool and composed in every situation.
Chopda notes that her maturity is central to her success. “After winning, there wasn’t much celebration,” he said. “She remained calm and composed. She wants to finish the job first and then express her emotions.”
Her silent-killer instinct was on full display in the semi-finals when Devika was trailing 15–20 against Chinese Taipei’s fifth seed Huang Yu-Hsun. She reeled off seven straight points displaying her strong crosscourt smashes to stun her opponent.
“She is a silent killer; the ice in her veins extends beyond the final point,” Chopda observed.
Coach Umendra Rana, who worked extensively on Devika’s technique at CBE, said he always believed this breakthrough was coming.
“One good match was needed to boost her confidence,” said Rana. “For Devika, that turning point was her big win against Thailand’s top seed and World No. 16, Supanida Katethong in the quarter-finals. Her confidence went massively up after that.
“Whatever the court conditions were, she made them her strength. She controlled the drift from both the fast and slow ends, which is very rare. Where attack was needed, she attacked. Where patience was needed, she defended.”
Often compared to two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu due to her 5’9” frame and long levers, Devika has evolved her game from defensive to dominant and attacking, especially over the past 12 months.
“Being tall is always a big advantage,” explained Chopda. “She has made excellent use of her height, hitting very sharp down-the-line shots and mixing her drops well. Earlier, at crucial moments, she tended to become defensive, playing more tosses, lifts and slow rallies. Now, she plays aggressively at pressure points.”
Following this breakthrough title, Devika reached a career-high ranking (projected World No. 49). Over the past year, she has sharpened her skills alongside Sindhu under the guidance of national coach Irwansyah. Sindhu took to social media to express her delight at her training partner’s success.
“I always get super excited when my training partners do well,” the two-time Olympic medallist wrote. “Devika trains with me and Coach Irwansyah in Bengaluru, and her dedication has been incredible to witness up close. She’s worked very closely with my team on strength and conditioning, and I’ve personally seen her game grow, mature and evolve step by step.
“This win is a reflection of the discipline, hard work and belief she has shown every single day. So proud of her.”
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