Anders Antonsen: Anders Antonsen, the current world’s no. 2 in the men’s singles and four-time World Championship medallist, has withdrawn from the India Open 2026 citing severe pollution in Delhi.
This marks Antonsen’s third consecutive absence from the prestigious Super 750 event.
Talking to social media, Antonsen shared a picture of the Air Quality Index of Delhi that has been hovering in the “severe” and “very poor” categories. The Danish star said the capital city is not a fit environment for professional badminton events.
Anders Antonsen-Fine Ahead
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) regulations mandate that all the top 15 players should confirm their participation in Super 750 events or face financial penalties. Antonsen risks being fined USD 5,000 once again. The Danish badminton player said he is crossing fingers for the summer when the World Championship happens in Delhi.
A few days back, Mia Blichfeldt also voiced criticisms after a match at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. Mia praised the arena’s scale but said the weather conditions were unprofessional and unhealthy, citing the presence of birds inside the hall and a lack of cleanliness.
The Journey of Antonsen
The 27-year-old Danish dynamo is globally renowned for his tactical brilliance, unrelenting grit and explosive power. Born on 27 April 1997 in Aarhus, Antonsen has made a name for himself in the world badminton circuits because of his blistering smashes, iron defence and deceptive drops, which make him a nightmare for elites like Viktor Axelsen and Shi Yuqi.
The journey of Antonsen ignited with the 2015 European Junior Championships gold, signalling Denmark’s next superstar. By 2016, Antonsen swept three International Series titles: Swedish Masters, Austrian Open and Spanish International. His national dominance soon followed when he clinched Danish Championships from 2017-2019. The Super Series explosion of Antonsen came at the 2019 Indonesia Masters when he dethroned World No. 1 Kento Momota 21-16, 14-21, 21-16 in the final.
