Four Oceania players took to the court at the BWF World Badminton Championships 2026 in New Delhi, India. With a mix of experience and debut appearances, it was New Zealand’s Shaunna Li who delivered the standout result, fighting back from a first-game loss to win her opening match and book her place in the round of 32.
The tournament kicked off on 17 August, and while the rest of the Oceania contingent’s campaigns wrapped up in the early rounds, Li’s run continued a touch further. This year marked the first time the Oceania Women’s Singles Champion competed in both the women’s singles and the mixed doubles at a World Championships. For her, being surrounded by the best players in the world made for a memorable experience.
“Competing at the World Championships is always special, and it was great to be back on the world stage, this time competing in both singles and mixed doubles,” Li explained. Being surrounded by the best players in the world is always very inspiring and a great experience for a player from a small country!”
That opening win came against Switzerland’s Dounia Pelupessy. Li dropped the first game before refocusing to storm back and secure an 18-21, 21-12, 21-13 victory.
“It was really special to win a game in a tournament with such strong opponents,” she said. “I was really happy to be able to perform well enough on the stage and earn the opportunity to play another match against one of the top players in the world.”
In the Round of 32, the New Zealand athlete faced World No. 10, Pornpawee Chochuwong (THA). Despite falling to her opponent in straight games, Li felt proud of what she achieved.
“Coming from New Zealand, we don’t always have the same opportunities or resources as players from some of the bigger badminton nations, so being able to represent New Zealand and Oceania at the highest level is something I’m really proud of,” she said. “Hopefully, seeing players from our region competing on this stage also shows younger players that it is possible.”
Compatriot Edward Lau also took to the court in the men’s singles, facing a tall task in his opening round against Ng Ka Long Angus (HKG), the current World No. 30. Although he couldn’t convert his efforts, he put up a strong fight before going down 21-15, 21-13.
Lau and Li also partnered in the mixed doubles, where they faced a familiar opponent: the World No. 35 pair, Scotland’s Alexander Dunn and Julie MacPherson, who they’d also met in last year’s World Championships campaign. While the Kiwi duo couldn’t quite topple the Scots this time either, their growing confidence on the world stage showed in the scoreline: a tighter 21-14, 21-18 loss.
Australia was represented in the women’s doubles by Jazmine Lam and Yee-Yuan Lim, who took on World No. 25 pair Francesca Corbett and Jennie Gai (USA) in their first BWF World Championships appearance. Facing a far more experienced pair, the Australians gained invaluable experience in a high-pressure environment; experience that should serve them well as their development continues.
Looking back on her own journey, Li noted that this year’s World Championships capped off more than a decade of dedication and passion. It’s a journey that’s taken her from local courts to the shining lights of the sport.
“At 10 years old, I was just playing badminton because I enjoyed it and had no idea where the sport could take me. I definitely wouldn’t have imagined that one day I’d be representing New Zealand and competing on the world stage.”
Photos via BWF/Badminton Photo
