Ayush Shetty (Image credit: X) NEW DELHI: Young Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty fell short in his quest for the title when he lost to China’s Shi Yu Qi in the final of the Badminton Asia Championships. His impressive run ended in an 8-21, 10-21 defeat against the world number two as India’s wait for a singles gold at the tournament has been over six decades.Shi Yu Qi was in full force and delivered a clinical performance to secure the crown in just over 40 minutes. The reigning world champion added an Asian title to his decorated tally, becoming the first Chinese men’s singles winner at the tournament since 2016.
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Billie Jean King Cup: Vaishnavi, Vishal Uppal react after India’s loss to Indonesia Despite the loss, Ayush proved to be one of the biggest positives of the competition. The 20-year-old’s giant killer run is set to propel him into the top 20 of the world rankings, reflecting his rapid rise on the international stage. His silver medal also made him the first Indian singles player since HS Prannoy in 2018 to secure a podium finish at a continental meet.Ayush thus added his name to the short list of Indian achievements in the tournament. Dinesh Khanna remains the only Indian men’s singles champion who won the title in 1965, while the pair of Satwiksiraj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty secured the men’s doubles crown in 2023.Ayush, a product of the Padukone-Dravid Center for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru, has already made history by becoming the first Indian in 61 years to reach the men’s singles final, matching the milestone last achieved by Khanna. His run included a stunning semi-final victory over world number one and defending champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn.He opened his campaign with a straight sets victory over world number seven Li Shi Feng and followed it up with another comfortable win against Chinese Taipei Chi Yu Jen in the round of 16. In the quarter-finals, he overcame Indonesia’s world No. 4 Jonatan Christie in a tight contest to secure India’s first medal at the event.Ayush then produced the outstanding performance of his campaign in the semi-finals as he rallied from the match to beat Kunlavut in three games.
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Should Ayush Shetty be considered a strong contender for future international tournaments?
He beat three top-10 players throughout the tournament – Li Shi Feng, Jonatan Christie and Kunlavut Vitidsarn – underscoring his composure and attacking quality, even as he finished one step short of the all-time title.
