The India Open Super 750 continued its litigation on Saturday, January 17, when play was suspended again, this time during the women’s doubles semifinal between China’s Liu Shengshu–Tan Ning and South Korea’s Baek Ha Na–Lee So Hee.
With the Chinese pair leading 6–3 in the opening game, officials were forced to stop the match after debris from above hit the court. Play was suspended as tournament staff inspected and cleaned the affected area, adding to a growing list of unusual interruptions to the event.
Initial speculation suggested bird droppings had landed on the pitch, similar to what happened earlier in the week. However, tournament officials later clarified that the disruption was caused by material falling from a bird’s nest located near the arena’s ceiling.
“It was not bird droppings. Some material from the bird’s nest fell on the court,” an official told the Indian Express, trying to clear up the confusion surrounding the stoppage.
The India Open women’s doubles semi-final match between WR 1 Tan Ning and Liu Shengshu and Korea’s Baek Ha Na and Lee So-hee was halted in the first leg due to what looks like yet another pigeon poo incident at the Indira Gandhi Stadium. pic.twitter.com/ifL2m0YloF— Jonathan Selvaraj (@jon_selvaraj) January 17, 2026
The incident further fueled criticism of the playing conditions in Delhi. On Thursday, the men’s singles quarter-final between India’s HS Prannoy and Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew was interrupted twice after bird droppings landed on the court, prompting sharp reactions from players and fans.
With repeated stops linked to birds in the arena, questions continue to be raised about the venue’s readiness and match conditions at one of the BWF World Tour’s premier events.
Earlier on Friday, January 16, Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt doubled down on her criticism of the tournament, once again drawing attention to the poor playing conditions.
Blichfeldt, who had raised concerns about the tournament last year as well, had earlier complained about hygiene issues inside the arena and alleged bird droppings on the training ground at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall. Since her remarks, several players have spoken about the conditions in Delhi.
Currently ranked No.10 in the world, Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew has highlighted the capital’s severe pollution levels. The former world champion said the players’ energy levels have dropped significantly, adding that he wears a mask whenever possible to protect himself from pollutants.
The criticism sparked a backlash against the Badminton Association of India (BAI), which has since gone into damage control mode. The organizers acknowledged the concerns in an official statement and promised to learn from the problems and improve conditions ahead of the BWF World Championships, which are due to be held in Delhi later this year.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
January 17, 2026