Archive · 18 Aug 2026
How Airflow Drift Is Shaping Delhi Badminton Worlds
Badminton players are dealing with moving air inside the stadium.
This moving air is called drift.
It can make the shuttlecock travel faster, slower or sideways.
The four courts do not all have the same drift because their positions and air vents are different.
More spectators and changes in air conditioning can also change the airflow.
Lakshya Sen struggled in his first game before adjusting and winning the match.
Shi Yuqi had trouble controlling smashes and lifts when the shuttle moved unpredictably.
Players must quickly learn how the air is behaving on their court.
All four courts at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium are experiencing drift, but its intensity and direction vary.
Central courts one and two initially had steadier airflow, with the side opposite the audience playing faster.
Side courts three and four faced additional side drift because they were closer to the air-conditioning vents.
Increasing the air conditioning as spectators arrived changed the drift on court one during the Ayush Shetty–Shi Yuqi match.
Players and coach Vimal Kumar said adapting to unpredictable shuttle movement is crucial for timing, smashes and lifts.
- Who
- Badminton players including Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, Shi Yuqi, Kodai Naraoka and Letshanaa Karupathevan, along with coach Vimal Kumar.
- What
- Changing air-conditioning and ventilation are creating different forms of drift across the four courts at the Badminton World Championships.
- When
- During the ongoing championships; the article describes matches played on Tuesday and changes as the day progressed.
- Where
- Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, India.
- Why
- Airflow from the venue’s air-conditioning and ventilation, along with changes in temperature, humidity and crowd presence, affects the shuttle’s movement.
- Venue
- Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi
- Courts affected
- All four courts in use are experiencing drift.
- Central courts
- Courts one and two initially had steadier airflow, with the side opposite the audience playing faster.
- Side courts
- Courts three and four experienced additional side drift because they are closer to side air-conditioning vents.
- Air-conditioning change
- As more spectators arrived, the air conditioning was increased and court one developed side drift toward the right.
- Lakshya Sen’s result
- He lost the first game 16-21 before winning the next two games 21-8, 21-4.
- First-time condition
- This is the first time air conditioning has been used in the arena, according to the article.