HAVANA, Cuba – The CUBA International Series of Badminton 2026, the highest-category tournament held in the country, commenced today at the Coliseo de la Ciudad Deportiva and will continue through Sunday. The competition features 27 international athletes and 25 Cuban players vying for significant ranking points and prize money.
The tournament awards 2500 points to gold medalists in each event, with 2130 points for silver and 1750 for bronze. This makes the Cuba International Series a particularly important event, especially as it serves as a crucial qualifying stage for the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, scheduled for July and August of this year. Only the Pan American tournament in Lima, from April 8-11, remains as a qualifying event following this series.
Athletes from the United States, Barbados, Dominican Republic, India, Mexico, Netherlands, and Peru are participating in this inaugural Cuba Series. Initially, twelve nations were slated to compete, but a group of 15 athletes from Suriname withdrew due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to tournament organizers.
The opening round of singles play saw Mexican Sara Delgado defeat Cuban Thalia Roque 21-14 and 21-10. Delgado will now face Cuba’s top player, Taymara Oropesa, on Thursday, who received a bye in the first round. Dominican players also found success, with Daniela Acosta defeating Maria Carla Torres 21-2 and 21-4, and Alissa Acosta overcoming Alina Sanz 21-9 and 21-6. Barbados’ Sabrina Scott dominated Nelsy Díaz of Cuba, winning 21-0 and 21-5.
Leyanis Contreras, Cuba’s second-ranked player, also received a bye and will face Ishika Jaiswal of the United States in the round of 16. Jaiswal is the top seed, currently ranked 68th in the world. Leonor Alvisa of Cuba will compete against Isabelle Rusli, also from the United States, who is ranked 146th. Erly Cabrera, another Cuban competitor, faces a tougher challenge against Peru’s experienced Inés Castillo, ranked 82nd and the second seed in the tournament.
In men’s singles, Cuban players struggled against their Mexican counterparts. Carlos Álvarez lost to Néstor González (21-9, 21-12), Daniel González fell to Emiliano Carrera (21-10, 21-7), and Roberto Carlos Pérez was defeated by José Manuel Jaime (21-6, 21-2). José Leandro Labrada also lost to Nithin Balasubramaniyan of India in straight sets (21-5, 21-5).
Cuba’s top-ranked male player, Roberto Carlos Herrera, will compete against his teammate Iker Herrera on Thursday. Herrera advanced after Bhimavarapu of India did not appear for their match. Juan Carlos Bencomo, Cuba’s second-ranked male player, will face Dominican Ovalles Mordan in the second day of competition, which includes all event modalities.
This tournament marks a significant step for badminton in Cuba, offering not only a high-level competition but also a valuable opportunity for athletes to gain ranking points and qualify for major international events. The Cuba International Series distinguishes itself by offering prize money to the winners, runners-up, and both bronze medalists in all events – individual and doubles in both genders, and mixed doubles.
The Giraldilla de La Habana tournament, a Future Series event, previously held the highest ranking in the country, awarding 1700, 1420, and 1170 points to the top three finishers. The Cuba International Series represents an elevation in the caliber of badminton competition hosted on the island.
The competition continues tomorrow with the second round of matches, featuring key matchups and the continuation of the singles, doubles, and mixed doubles events. Fans can follow the progress of their favorite athletes as they compete for glory and valuable ranking points.
Next up, the tournament will continue with the second round of competition on Thursday, featuring matches across all disciplines. Keep an eye on the official Badminton World Federation (BWF) website for updated results and schedules.
