Overview
- Play in HS Prannoy’s match against Loh Kean Yew was stopped twice when bird droppings landed on Court 1, with the incident captured in-arena and confirmed by Prannoy afterward.
- BWF acknowledged shortcomings in cleanliness, hygiene and animal control at the venue and said feedback from this week will guide upgrades for the August World Championships.
- Organisers defended the move to the larger Indira Gandhi complex as a step up from KD Jadhav and described the India Open as a test event intended to identify and fix issues.
- Players cited health and performance concerns linked to Delhi’s conditions, with Loh Kean Yew describing lower stamina and mask use and Anders Antonsen withdrawing due to pollution, drawing a $5,000 BWF fine.
- Mia Blichfeldt renewed criticism of “unacceptable” conditions after bird and monkey incidents, as reports also noted birds in training areas and broadcast cutaways during on‑court cleanups.