Indian badminton player Devika Sihag, 20, clinched her first BWF World Tour title by winning the women’s singles crown at the Thailand Masters Super 300 tournament in Bangkok on Sunday. Leading 21‑8, 6‑3 in the final against Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei, Sihag was declared champion after her opponent retired due to a hamstring injury marking a bittersweet conclusion to a breakthrough week.
With this victory, the Haryana‑born shuttler became only the third Indian woman to win a Super 300 singles title on the BWF circuit, joining PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal in that elite group. Her win, at a USD 250,000 event that attracts strong international competition, was widely praised by officials and fellow players alike including Sindhu, who congratulated her on social media for her “discipline, hard work and belief.”
Dominant Run Culminates in Super 300 Triumph
Sihag’s performance in Bangkok was remarkable for its consistency and growing tactical acuity, as she did not drop a single game en route to the title. Ranked world No. 63, the unseeded Indian dispatched a series of higher‑ranked opponents, showcasing both composure and physical readiness.
In the quarterfinals, she stunned home favourite and top seed Supanida Katethong, riding aggressive play and superior placement to control rallies. She then followed up with a straight‑games win over World No. 35 Huang Yu‑Hsun in the semifinals to book her maiden Super 300 final berth.
In the title match, Sihag raced through the first game with a dominant 21‑8 scoreline and was leading 6‑3 in the second when Goh Jin Wei, a former junior world champion, began visibly struggling with movement due to what was later confirmed as a hamstring injury.
After several points, Goh retired, handing Sihag the biggest title of her career so far. The nature of the final a mix of commanding play and an unfortunate injury attracted both celebration and sympathy from the badminton community, with many wishing Goh a swift recovery.
Speaking after her win, Sihag emphasised her focus on performance over outcomes: “I didn’t think about winning or losing, I just wanted to give my 100%. That gave me the confidence.” She also acknowledged the lessons she had learned throughout the week and said she planned to “implement them in my game and rectify [her] mistakes,” signalling a maturity well beyond her years.
From Panchkula to Podium: A Journey of Growth
Devika Sihag’s ascent in international badminton has been a gradual but marked one. Born and raised in Haryana, she initially struggled with the demands of balancing sport and academics. In her early days, she did not immediately take to badminton, but steady success at the state level and her love for the sport’s pace drew her deeper into the game.
Standing at 172 cm with a naturally powerful attacking style, she moved to Bengaluru to train at a premier academy after her mother persuaded her father to let her pursue the sport more seriously. There, she benefitted from structured coaching and sharpened her skills under experts, including support from Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama and India’s own Vimal Kumar.
Prior to this week’s breakthrough, Sihag had already been making waves. Her first international title came at the Malaysia International in August 2025, and she played a key role in India’s mixed team bronze at the 2025 World University Games.
In the 2025 season, she reached the final of the Indonesia Masters Super 100. In 2024, she contested four finals on the international circuit, winning the Swedish Open and the Portugal International, while finishing second at the Estonian and Dutch Internationals.
While technical shots and her height‑advantaged attack have long been her strengths, this week’s tournament highlighted another dimension: her tactical patience and adaptability. Coaches noted that she mixed deep clears, sharp drops and powerful smashes intelligently, forcing her opponents into uncomfortable positions. Her chief coach observed that her developing consistency, both mentally and physically, has been a crucial factor in her rise.
Official Praise and the Larger Indian Context
The response from the badminton fraternity has been warm and encouraging. Two‑time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, who trains alongside Sihag, took to social media to hail her achievement. Sindhu highlighted Devika’s daily efforts and steady growth, saying the title “is a reflection of the discipline, hard work and belief she has shown every single day.” She also shared a light‑hearted message for other training partners, encouraging them to rise alongside Sihag.
The achievement also ends a relative gap for Indian women at the Super 300 level on foreign soil, reinforcing the country’s growing depth in women’s singles beyond legendary names such as Sindhu and Saina Nehwal. With badminton evolving into a more physically demanding sport at the top tier, Sihag’s success provides fresh evidence of India’s ability to produce international‑level talent across generations.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Devika Sihag’s journey speaks to the transformative power of perseverance, structured coaching, and belief in young talent. Her triumph at the Thailand Masters is not just a feather in her cap but also inspiration for countless young athletes who balance dreams with real‑world pressures.
It underscores the need for sustained investment in sports infrastructure, mental health support, and mentorship frameworks that extend beyond elite players to emerging stars. Most importantly, her story reminds us that sports like life rewards those who focus on growth, resilience, and self‑belief.
