India hosted a prestigious international badminton tournament where the most impressive rallies were between officials and stray dogs, and the most consistent overhead shots came from pigeons.
The 2026 India Open at Delhi's Indira Gandhi Arena delivered everything fans expect from a Super 750 tournament: world-class rallies, dramatic upsets, and a monkey casually strolling through the stands like a paying spectator. A match between HS Prannoy and former world champion Loh Kean Yew was halted twice after bird droppings landed on Court 1, forcing mid-game cleaning. Stray dogs wandered in, prompting the MCD to station a dog-catching van at the venue. Korean shuttler Kang Min-hyuk joked about "free animal admission." Denmark's Anders Antonsen withdrew for the third consecutive year over Delhi's air quality, eating a $5,000 BWF fine rather than breathing Delhi air. The tournament also faces bribery allegations at the stadium. BWF has taken note, which in international sports diplomacy means "we're writing a strongly worded email."