Indian shuttler Devika Sihag won the women’s singles title at the Malaysia International Challenge 2025 badminton tournament in Ipoh on Sunday.
The 20-year-old Devika Sihag, part of the Indian badminton team that won bronze at the World University Games 2025 in Germany, defeated the fifth-seeded compatriot Isharani Baruah 15-7, 15-12 in the final that lasted 25 minutes.
The Malaysia International Challenge 2025 was played under the BWF’s experimental 3×15 scoring format, with games contested over 15 points instead of the usual 21.
For Devika Sihag, the win in Malaysia marked her first International Challenge title, adding to the Swedish Open and Portugal International crowns she secured in 2024 at the International Series level.
The International Challenge events are grade 3, level 1 events part of the Continental Circuit of BWF tournaments, while the International Series events are grade 3, level 2.
Devika Sihag won the women’s singles title at the senior National Badminton Championships in Bengaluru last year.
Earlier at the Malaysia International Challenge 2025, Devika upset former junior world No. 1 and fourth-seeded Tasnim Mir, 11-15, 15-9, 16-14 in the semi-finals.
In the quarter-finals, Devika Sihag, 100th in the badminton rankings, stunned Japan’s top-seeded and world No. 36 Manami Suizu 15-10, 15-11. In the first two rounds, Devika Sihag overcame unseeded opponents – Mexico’s Cristina Perez and Malaysia’s Lee Mun – in straight games.
Among other Indian badminton players, sixth seed Ira Sharma and Ashmita Chaliha exited in the women’s singles round of 16.
In men’s singles, Mithun Manjunath reached the semi-finals, while top seed Manraj Singh fell in the quarter-finals.