Devika Sihag secures maiden Super 300 title at Thailand Masters

Young Indian shuttler Devika Sihag clinched her maiden BWF Super 300 crown after Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei retired midway through the women’s singles final of the Thailand Masters, a USD 250,000 event, here on Sunday.

The 20-year-old from Haryana was leading 21-8, 6-3 when world No. 68 Goh, a two-time former world junior champion, pulled out due to a hamstring injury, handing the Indian the biggest title of her career.

“I’m really happy today as this is my first Super 300 title. I’m excited to play more tournaments ahead,” said Devika, who will now compete in Baku, Azerbaijan for a Challenger tournament starting Tuesday.

“I’ve played very good matches here. I’ve learnt a lot. I’ll implement them in my game and rectify my mistakes. Coming into the match I didn’t think about winning or losing, rather wanted to give my 100%. That gave me the confidence.

“I thought to start with a good pace initially, and that worked well. She was tired I believe & had cramps. I wish for her recovery.” With this victory, Devika becomes only the third Indian woman to win a Super 300 women’s singles title, joining an elite list that includes PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal. The win should push her into the Top 40 in the rankings, opening the door for bigger events.

Ranked world No. 63, Devika, who trains under coach Umendra Rana at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru, has also been sharpening her game alongside two-time Olympic medallist P. V. Sindhu under Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama for the last few months.

Lauding Devika following her breakthrough win, Sindhu said the youngster’s success was the result of daily discipline and hard work.

“I always get super excited when my training partners do well,” Sindhu wrote on her ‘X’ account.

“Devika trains with me and Coach Irwansyah in Bangalore, and her dedication has been incredible to witness up close. She’s worked very closely with my team on strength and conditioning, and I’ve personally seen her game grow, mature, and evolve step by step.

“This win is a reflection of the discipline, hard work, and belief she has shown every single day. So proud of her.” The final brought ecstasy for Devika but agony for her opponent Goh, who looked exhausted after playing four long three-game matches in the run-up to the final.

On Sunday, the Malaysian looked visibly tired as her movement was laboured. Goh, who has struggled for form and fitness over the past two years and had complained of fatigue on Saturday, found it difficult to move around the court, often troubled by her left leg which would not budge.

In a solid start Devika opened up a 4-0 lead with the help of her deep returns, mixing her strokes well. A lucky net cord helped Goh log her first point.

The Indian’s ability to produce cross-court and straight smashes, along with drops from the same action, helped her deceive her opponent as she zoomed to 9-2.

A precise smash followed by another delightful shot helped her take an 11-4 lead at the break.

A body smash from Goh was the first convincing shot, but Devika made her scramble across the court as the Malaysian just could not read the Indian.

The Malaysian looked exhausted and did not seem to have enough fuel to go through the grind that Devika put her through. It was one-way traffic as Devika held 13 game points with a superb net cross.

Another backhand net cross sealed it for the Indian.

After the change of sides, Devika moved to a 6-3 lead as her opponent looked in discomfort and eventually decided to quit.

Devika’s father is a lawyer and mother a teacher, while her younger brother also plays the sport. The Haryana shuttler has enjoyed a steady rise , especially over the last 2-3 years. She claimed the Malaysia International in August 2025 and later contributed to India’s mixed team bronze at the 2025 World University Games.

Last season, she finished runner-up at the Indonesia Masters Super 100 and reached four finals in 2024, winning the Swedish Open and Portugal International, while finishing second at the Estonian International and Dutch International.

Published – February 02, 2026 03:17 am IST