Both of India’s biggest names drew a seed in the first round at Odense. Lakshya Sen opens against third seed Chou Tien-chen, the player who put Ayush Shetty out of the Asian Games after losing the opening game. PV Sindhu has it harder still: top seed An Se-young, in round one.
The VICTOR Denmark Open runs from Tuesday 13 October to Sunday 18 October 2026 at the SJF Bank Arena in Odense. It is a BWF World Tour Super 750, the second-highest rung on the tour, and the first of two in a fortnight: the French Open follows in Paris from 20 to 25 October.
| Player | Event | First round |
|---|---|---|
| Lakshya Sen | Men’s singles | Chou Tien-chen (3) |
| Ayush Shetty | Men’s singles | Alwi Farhan |
| PV Sindhu | Women’s singles | An Se-young (1) |
| Unnati Hooda | Women’s singles | Han Qian Xi |
| Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty (5) | Men’s doubles | He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu |
| Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand | Women’s doubles | Chen Yan Fei and Hsieh Pei Shan |
Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, India’s mixed doubles pair, are not in the draw. They withdrew.
Lakshya Sen against Chou Tien-chen
The two met three weeks ago in Aichi, except it was Ayush Shetty on the other side of the net. Chou lost the first game 16-21, won the second 21-19, and took the decider 17-21 to end India’s last singles hope at the Asian Games. He is 36 and still seeded third here, which tells you most of what you need to know about how he wins: he does not hurry, and he does not fold in a long third game.
Lakshya arrives with the opposite reputation this season. In the team quarter-final in Aichi he lost a first game 11-21 to Kodai Naraoka, then won 21-5, then came from 8-14 down in the decider to take it 21-19. On that evidence this is a genuine tie rather than a seed’s formality, and it is the one Indian match on day one worth clearing your afternoon for.
Sindhu could not have drawn worse
An Se-young in round one is the draw nobody wants. Sindhu comes in from the Arctic Open in Vantaa, where she went out in the quarter-finals to world No. 5 Ratchanok Intanon in three games. Her ranking has slipped far enough that she is now unseeded at Super 750 level, which is exactly how a former world champion ends up meeting the top seed before the tournament has warmed up.
Where the ranking points matter
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are seeded fifth and have the kindest start of the Indian contingent. They have not gone deep at a Super 750 since the China Masters, and their Asian Games ended in the round of 32 after leading the opening game 11-5 - one of five Indian defeats in Aichi that went to a third game. Two Super 750s in two weeks is a lot of points available at a point in the season when India has little to show.
How to watch in India
- Play starts at 9:00 am Danish time on most days, which is 12:30 pm IST.
- Early rounds stream on the BWF YouTube channel in India.
- From the quarter-finals, Star Sports 3 and Star 3 HD carry it on television, with streaming on JioHotstar.
- Finals are on Sunday 18 October.
When is the Denmark Open 2026?
Tuesday 13 October to Sunday 18 October 2026, at the SJF Bank Arena in Odense, Denmark. It is a BWF World Tour Super 750.
Who does Lakshya Sen play in the first round?
Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei, seeded third. Chou beat Ayush Shetty in three games at the Asian Games in September.
Who does PV Sindhu play first?
Top seed An Se-young. Sindhu is unseeded here after a drop in ranking, which is why she met the No. 1 in round one.
How can I watch the Denmark Open in India?
Early rounds are on the BWF YouTube channel. From the quarter-finals it is on Star Sports 3 and Star 3 HD, and streaming on JioHotstar. Play usually begins at 12:30 pm IST.
What comes after the Denmark Open?
The French Open in Paris, 20 to 25 October 2026, also a Super 750. The season then runs to the BWF World Tour Finals in December.
Draw and schedule as published by the BWF ahead of the tournament. Order of play is confirmed on the day and can change. Kreeda is not affiliated with the BWF, Badminton Denmark or BAI.
