Canada Open 2026: Kidambi Srikanth Retires Hurt as India Suffers Seven First-Round Exits
India endured a difficult start at the Canada Open 2026 Super 300 as Kidambi Srikanth retired injured during his opening-round match against Lee Zii Jia. Seven Indian players were eliminated, while Aakarshi Kashyap and Tanya Hemnath advanced to the women's singles second round.
India endured a disappointing start to the Canada Open 2026 Super 300 after Kidambi Srikanth retired injured during his opening-round match, while seven Indian players were knocked out in the first round. The only positives for the Indian contingent came through Aakarshi Kashyap and Tanya Hemnath, who advanced to the women’s singles second round with convincing victories.
Srikanth, fresh from finishing runner-up at last week’s US Open Super 300, was forced to withdraw midway through his match against Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia due to a fitness issue, ending I]ndia’s hopes of a strong men’s singles campaign early in the tournament.
Kidambi Srikanth Forced to Retire at Canada Open 2026
Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth saw his Canada Open campaign end prematurely after retiring during his men’s singles first-round clash against Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia.
The 33-year-old was trailing 10-11 in the opening game when he consulted coach B Sai Praneeth before deciding to withdraw because of a fitness concern. Srikanth had entered the tournament in encouraging form after finishing runner-up at the US Open Super 300 just days earlier.
Aakarshi Kashyap and Tanya Hemnath Keep India’s Challenge Alive
Despite a difficult day overall, Aakarshi Kashyap and Tanya Hemnath ensured India remained represented in the women’s singles draw.
Aakarshi secured a straight-games victory over France’s Anna Tatranova, winning 21-14, 21-12. She will next face fourth seed Beiwen Zhang of the United States in the second round.
Tanya Hemnath also progressed after defeating USA’s Disha Gupta 21-16, 21-18. Her next opponent will be Japan’s Riko Gunji.
Seven Indian Players Exit in Opening Round
The remainder of the Indian contingent struggled to make an impact as seven players exited in the opening round.
Fifth seed Devika Sihag, who claimed her maiden BWF World Tour Super 300 title at the Thailand Masters earlier this year, lost 14-21, 15-21 to Tung Ciou-Tong of Chinese Taipei.
Rakshitha Ramraj, winner of this year’s Vietnam International Challenge, fought back after losing the opening game but eventually went down 15-21, 21-14, 15-21 against Canada’s Rachel Chan.
Shriyanshi Valishetty, who captured her maiden BWF Super 100 title at the Al Ain Masters this season, was defeated 9-21, 18-21 by Huang Ching Pi of Chinese Taipei.
Meanwhile, Anmol Kharb pushed the tournament’s top seed in a closely contested encounter before losing 6-21, 26-24, 13-21 after forcing a deciding game.
What India’s Results Mean
The opening-round results represent a challenging start for India at the Canada Open, with only two players advancing to the second round. The retirements and early exits leave Aakarshi Kashyap and Tanya Hemnath carrying India’s hopes as the tournament progresses.
With several leading Indian players already eliminated, attention now shifts to whether the remaining duo can extend India’s campaign and secure deeper runs in the Super 300 event.
Key Takeaways
- Kidambi Srikanth retired injured during his first-round match against Lee Zii Jia.
- India suffered seven first-round exits at the Canada Open Super 300.
- Aakarshi Kashyap defeated Anna Tatranova to reach the second round.
- Tanya Hemnath advanced after beating Disha Gupta in straight games.
- India’s hopes now rest with Aakarshi Kashyap and Tanya Hemnath.
