World No. 3 Anders Antonsen Withdraws from India Open Citing Delhi Pollution

World No. 3 Danish badminton player Anders Antonsen withdrew from the India Open citing Delhi's extreme air pollution as the primary reason, marking his third consecutive year pulling out. He shared a hazardous Air Quality Index reading of 348 and criticized the city as unsuitable for hosting the tournament. Antonsen was fined USD 5,000 by the Badminton World Federation for missing the event, which is held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, also the venue for the upcoming BWF World Championships. Fellow Dane Mia Blichfeldt also raised concerns about the venue's playing conditions.