Sukant Kadam rises to World No. 2

Indian para shuttler Sukant Kadam has achieved a new career milestone, rising to World No. 2 in the SL4 category of the latest BWF Para Badminton World Rankings. His stellar performances at the recently concluded Spanish Para Badminton International 2025 played a key role in his surge up the rankings.

Sukant now holds 53,650 points, just behind Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan, who leads the rankings with 56,680 points. France’s Lucas Mazur follows in third place with 48,400 points.

The Indian ace’s climb in the rankings comes on the back of a strong showing in Spain, where he competed in three high-level tournaments—two Grade 2 events and one Grade 1 event. His most notable achievement came in the Grade 2 tournament, where he secured a gold medal with a commanding performance. In the final, he defeated fellow Indian shuttler Tarun in straight games, winning 21-13, 21-10.

Elated with his victory, Sukant said, “I’m happy to start 2025 with a gold medal. Every match here was a learning experience, and I’m glad I could perform consistently. This win gives me great motivation for the rest of the season.”

In the Grade 1 tournament, Sukant put up a strong fight but narrowly missed out on another title. He battled hard in the final against compatriot Naveen Sivakunar, ultimately falling short in a closely contested match (14-21, 21-14, 14-21).

Reflecting on his achievement, Sukant remarked, “It’s a great start to 2025, and I’m happy with how I’ve been playing. Reaching World No. 2 is a proud moment, but the focus is now on maintaining this momentum. With major tournaments lined up, including the Asian Para Games and the World Championships next year, the goal is to stay consistent and keep improving.”