Devika Sihag crowned her sensational run at the Thailand Masters Super 300 with her first BWF title, and Indian badminton’s first trophy of the year in 2026. In a fairytale week, the 20-year-old, ranked 63 in the world, blazed through without dropping a game, knocking out three seeded players en-route.
The youngster is shy and soft-spoken, but her vibrant, attacking style spoke volumes as she put together a sharp game, displaying impressive mental composure the past week, in what is still a young career on the bigger BWF stages. Her previous best before this was a Super 100 final in 2024, which she lost to former world champion Nozomi Okuhara. She also has a couple of Challenger tournaments and is the 2024 national champion, but winning a BWF Super 300 in her first attempt is a commendable feat.
While this achievement is extraordinary, there’s one more stat which really puts what she’s done in happy perspective; Devika is only the third Indian woman after Sania Nehwal and PV Sindhu to win a BWF World Tour Super 300 title.
Following greatness while forging her own path. ��
Devika Sihag.
Remember the Name.(�� @badmintonphoto ) pic.twitter.com/DfaLzeUnKy
– BAI Media (@BAI_Media) February 1, 2026
Indian badminton’s legacy has largely been defined by Saina and Sindhu, in the absence of any successors. For Devika to join their league in her first BWF Super 300 final, after a week of consistently strong badminton at the start of a new season is a breath of much-needed fresh air for the sport in India.
Devika herself is part of the group that trains alongside Sindhu at the Centre for Badminton Excellence (CBE) in Bengaluru, (formerly the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy). About six months ago, the 20-year-old started being coached by Sindhu’s Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama as well. This shift in coaching has been a crucial turning point, according to Sagar Chopda, the head coach at CBE.
“At the academy, we saw that Devika and Isha [Isharani Baruah] were doing well we and thought that they needed a change and coach Irwansyah was more than happy to take a few more players to train along with Sindhu. So, so that was a good thing for us and her,” Sagar told ESPN India.
“That was a conscious call we took because, every player needs a change in their training or there comes a stagnancy or a monotony. And coach Irwansyah is extremely positive, even with some bad results he says not to worry and I think it is a good sign for the girls.” Devika’s game blossoming, with a shout out from Sindhu too, shows that the call to train with Irwansyah was an inspired one.
I always get super excited when my training partners do well haha
Devika trains with me and Coach Irwansyah in Bangalore, 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… https://t.co/fKutjfjKjV
– Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) February 1, 2026
In the final on Sunday, Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei had to retire with injury while Devika led 21-8, 6-3 but the Indian had done enough in the last couple of rounds to be a very worthy winner. In the semifinal, she saved five straight game points against world number 35 Huang Yu-Hsun to go from 15-20 down to win the first game 22-20. In the quarterfinal, she overcame the crowd and home favourite – top seed Supanida Katethong – who has often caused Sindhu problems in the past with her southpaw game.
In both matches, Devika – a tall, attacking player with expansive strokes – showed a versatility of game that impressed coach Sayali Gokhale, who is travelling with her this week in Thailand. “I pleasantly surprised with the way she has played in the entire tournament. She’s been very consistent and very patient in every match that she has played, a lot of credit to her,” Sayali told ESPN India from Thailand.
Sagar, who has seen Devika’s growth from close quarters at the academy, also agreed that her mentality was the key. “In this tournament, she was more consistent and was more aggressive, which is her game style. And she didn’t drop a single game in the tournament, which is creditable.”
Devika, on her part, was measured even in her post-title talk, saying she was very happy winning her first title. “I was just thinking to play my 100% and I didn’t think about losing or winning, so that helped me gain confidence and I was playing without any pressure,” said the Haryana youngster. Part of her natural work ethic comes from her family, where her father is a lawyer and mother a teacher. Her younger brother also plays badminton back in Haryana, while she trains in Bengaluru.
Sayali, a former national champion, celebrated her birthday on the day of the final, which Devika says will be the reason she treats herself to a dessert at the airport soon (and not just because of the title.) That, perhaps, shows her maturity as a player, as much as her on-field exploits.
There are two moments in the aborted final which really showcase Devika’s psyche: At 4-3 in the second game, she shanked her shot, and it sailed outside prompting her to slap her forehead at the error. She was so dialled in, that despite her massive lead she was annoyed at a silly point lost. The match ended soon after because of injury, and then Devika did not celebrate her title out of respect. Indeed, she was seen seeking out a seated Goh and talking with her at length before the presentation ceremony. A touch of class.
Congratulations to Devika Sihag ���� on her 1st title win.
Follow live action: https://t.co/TjoFnU4PnB@HSBC_Sport
#BWFWorldTour #ThailandMasters2026 pic.twitter.com/z8AIW3iwnM– BWF (@bwfmedia) February 1, 2026
Equally commendable is the fact that she will head straight to Azerbaijan for a Challenger tournament after this, with no time to soak in her first title nor take a break after a momentous week. In fact, Sagar says, she didn’t even consider not playing the Challenger despite reaching the final of a Super 300.
These are early days yet, but these are also small moments that show that Devika Sihag has the attributes needed to become a truly top player. It’s just the start of the year and she will now move into the Top 40 in the rankings, which should soon give her chances to play bigger tournaments and test herself against the very best.
For now, Indian badminton can celebrate a truly special moment – an early BWF title (the first of 2025 came in July) and an opportunity to see a young player evolve.
