Varsity 2026: Warwick Badminton Celebrate Double Success with Men’s and Women’s Team Wins

While the weather outside was dull and grey, the atmosphere inside the Sports Arena was anything but, as Warwick’s badminton team kicked off the action early on Saturday for Varsity 2026, going on to deliver a hugely successful day with the men securing a sweeping 8-0 win and the women edging a hard-fought 5-3 victory.

The Men’s Tournament

Warwick Men’s 1^st Badminton team took the courts in red and black, some players even sporting red stripes painted across their cheeks as a show of Team Warwick pride. From the first rally, it was clear the day would be lively, with Coventry supporters making themselves heard by banging plastic shuttlecock holders together every time one of their players won a point. This tactic then continued throughout the matches, filling the Sports Hub with noise despite the relatively small crowd.

The singles matches set the tone early on for the home side. Warwick’s Aarav Sethi opened proceedings against Coventry’s Abrar and immediately took control, dictating the rallies and forcing errors as he wrapped up a dominant 21-5, 21-8 win.

There were visible head shakes after points didn’t go [Coventry’s] way, reflecting Warwick’s unceasing control

Warwick’s Manas Chopade followed in the second singles tie against Coventry’s Jason in a match that was closer in places but still firmly under Warwick’s control. As the match went on, rallies grew longer and more intense, with points often being decided by forced errors rather than outright winners. Chopade remained patient throughout, pulling clear in both sets to take a 21-16, 21-11 win.

Both Warwick singles players returned later in the tie and continued to dominate. Sethi cruised past Jason 21-5, 21-14, while Chopade brushed aside Abrar 21-6, 21-11. As frustration began to creep in for the Coventry players, there were visible head shakes after points didn’t go their way, reflecting Warwick’s unceasing control in the singles matchups.

The doubles courts largely followed the same pattern. Warwick’s Joel Jino and Thomas Dulson were clinical in both outings, first defeating Coventry’s Callum and Dan 21-16, 21-5 before closing out a comfortable 21-9, 21-9 win against Coventry’s Lucas and Yash. Despite the scorelines, Coventry fought hard, with players throwing themselves to the floor to keep rallies alive, while loud groans — and the occasional expletive — followed missed chances. In an attempt to encourage their players, a few Coventry supporters attempted to quietly start chants during brief lulls, cheering loudly whenever Warwick were forced out of position.

Both the teams and the spectators became increasingly vocal after each point

Warwick’s Charlie Wu and Noparuj Luesukprasert also started strongly, opening with a confident 21-11, 21-10 win over Lucas and Yash. Their second match against Callum and Dan, however, provided the standout moment of the men’s tournament. After taking the first set 21-17, Warwick were edged out 20-22 in a tense second. Before going into the deciding set, almost Warwick’s entire bench gathered courtside to offer advice and encouragement, while the Coventry players waited patiently for play to resume.

By this point, the crowd had grown, with spectators drifting in before the start of the cricket match and the women’s badminton fixture. Both the teams and the spectators became increasingly vocal after each point, with encouragement ringing out from the Warwick bench and a lone “Come on Coventry” cutting through the louder chants of “Go on Warwick”. One rally in particular brought excitement to the crowd, with Wu sliding to save the shuttle, striking it again from the floor, and scrambling back across the court to win the point.

The decider was evenly matched, played in front of a tense Warwick men’s badminton captain watching from the sidelines. Yet, in the end, Wu and Luesukprasert held their nerve, closing out the final set 21-18. Relief was written all over their faces as they sealed the win, bringing an end to a gripping match that one spectator summed up perfectly: “Even I could tell it was tense and I didn’t even know the score.”

The Women’s Tournament

After being delayed by the never-ending battle in the men’s doubles tie, Warwick Women’s 1^st Badminton team finally got things started slightly after 13:00, hoping to continue the momentum in their own fixtures.

Replicating the men’s tie, Warwick got off to a strong start in the singles. Their women’s captain and first singles player , Mihika, began the afternoon’s fixtures with a calm and controlled performance against Coventry’s Ramone. From the opening rallies, Mihika stayed composed, repeatedly finding the back of the court with high, deep shots and rarely being forced into heavy movement. Points came quickly, and the match was wrapped up in short order with a dominant 21-8, 21-9 win.

The rallies were energetic and fast-paced

Alongside that, a much tighter contest was unfolding between Warwick’s Abigail and Coventry’s Gytha. After narrowly losing the first set 19-21, Abigail responded well, covering the full width of the court and engaging in long, lively rallies. The match lasted well beyond the start of two doubles fixtures and ended in dramatic fashion, with Abigail edging the decider 22-20. Sportsmanship was clear throughout, with applause exchanged for good shots and smiles shared at the end.

The singles dominance continued as Mihika returned to face Gytha, producing another assured performance to claim a 21-9, 21-11 victory. The rallies were noticeably calmer, with both players opting for longer-range shots and limited movement, though the energy lifted towards the end of the second set as both were forced into full lunges to keep points alive. Smiles on both sides suggested a match played in good spirits.

Abigail then closed out the singles with perhaps the most emphatic result of the round, brushing past Ramone 21-6, 21-1. The rallies were energetic and fast-paced, with players needing to jump high to reach shots. Despite the scoreline, Coventry’s bench remained vocal and supportive, loudly encouraging their player with cheers and noise from the plastic shuttlecok holders even after errors.

The day highlighted the strength and competitiveness of the club

The doubles brought a slight shift in momentum. Warwick’s Katie and Tia opened against Coventry’s Clarice and Esha in a fast-paced, evenly matched contest. After dropping the first set 16-21, the Warwick pair battled back to claim the second set 21-19. They then eventually sealed a dramatic 22-20 win in the decider after long, tiring rallies, including one moment where a Warwick player was forced into the splits to keep the shuttle alive.

In the second doubles, Warwick’s Siddhi and Ardra faced Coventry’s Ananya and Evelyn. After a competitive start and an in-depth pep talk from members of the Warwick team during the break, Coventry ended up pulling away to claim a 10-21, 9-21 win. The Warwick pair then went on to play Clarice and Esha in the final doubles round, eventually losing 19-21, 9-21, despite a tough battle.

The women’s draw, like the men’s before it, finally ended with another long and tense doubles match. Katie and Tia returned to this time face Ananya and Evelyn in a tense three-set battle (14-21, 22-10, 18-21). With the rest of the matches already finished, this head-to-head became the centre of attention. Both pairs were quick on their feet, mixing shots well as adrenaline rose and minor errors crept in under pressure. The match swung back and forth before Coventry edged the decider 18-21, with one Coventry player finishing the match lying on the court as teammates rushed over, which is a clear sign of how physically demanding the contest had been.

Ultimately, across both the men’s and women’s draws, Warwick delivered a strong all-round showing. From controlled singles wins to intense, deciding-set doubles matches, the day highlighted the strength and competitiveness of the club, making Varsity a clear positive for Warwick badminton.