Over the course of his career, B Sumeeth Reddy built up a bit of a reputation as a doubles specialist.
Despite being a junior India No. 1 in singles, Reddy’s singles career was cut short due to spinal bone degeneration, a condition that once threatened to end his career.
“Doctors advised me to quit due to the risk of lower-body paralysis. At 20, I had no job and needed wall support to walk. The only option was to bear the pain, continue rehab, and hope for the best,” he said.
At this stage, it was on Pullela Gopichand’s advice that he switched to doubles and went on to win his first national title in 2012.
B Sumeeth Reddy’s best rank in men’s doubles was 17th, achieved in 2015 with Manu Attri, with whom he also partnered for Rio 2016.
Sumeeth and Attri also won the Mexico City Grand Prix 2015 and Canada Open 2016 titles together on the BWF World Tour.
A men’s team bronze medal winner at the 2016 Asia Team Championships, Sumeeth has also played mixed doubles with multiple partners, including his wife N. Sikki Reddy.
Partnering Ashwini Ponnappa, he also finished runners up at the Syed Modi International 2017 after losing to N Sikki Reddy and Pranav Chopra in the finals.
Prior to his retirement, B Sumeeth Reddy and his wife N Sikki Reddy were ranked 25th in the mixed doubles world rankings. Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila, at world No. 20, are the only better-ranked Indian team.
“Even though I’m currently ranked world No. 25, I believe my best years are behind me. Given certain circumstances, I have stepped down from my professional playing career,” Reddy, who made his last professional appearance at the 2024 Syed Modi International in December last year, said.
“There will come a time when every athlete has to stop. On that day, you should be able to step aside with no regrets, knowing you gave 110 percent,” he added.
Reddy established the Sikki Sumeeth Badminton Academy in Hyderabad in 2021 along with his wife and is now part of India’s national coaching setup, overseeing women’s doubles players.
“I aim to contribute to making India a powerhouse in world badminton,” he said.
