Hong Kong Open: Sindhu advances to quarter finals

Sindhu, who was supposed to feature in the All England Open competition in Birmingham starting from Tuesday, was stuck in Dubai following a crisis which started due to a sharp escalation in West Asia after Israel and the United States launched coordinated strikes on Iranian military and nuclear-linked sites. The operation triggered retaliatory threats and airspace closures in several countries, including Iran and Iraq, disrupting major international air corridors.

The two-time Olympic medallist shared her relief and gratitude in a post on X, offering a glimpse into the anxiety she faced during the past few days.

PV Ramana, Indian star badminton player PV Sindhu's father, said that his daughter confirmed that the Indian Embassy in Dubai is taking care of her amid the Israel-Iran tensions and that they arranged accommodation for her in a hotel.

Olympian shuttler Saina Nehwal was honoured with the Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore.

The opening day of the main draw served up a series of well-contested matches at the Mumbai Open 125K Series, held at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) on Monday. Mananchaya Sanwangkaew, Leolia Jeanjean, Mai Hontama, Misaki Matsuda, Miho Kuramochi and Mei Yamaguchi, all progressed to the next round with notable wins.