Ayush Shetty Shines at Badminton Asia Championships, Reaches Final

Ayush Shetty's Remarkable Journey

A new talent has emerged in Indian badminton as Ayush Shetty showcased his exceptional skills at the 2026 Badminton Asia Championships (BAC). Competing at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Centre in Ningbo, China, on Saturday (April 11), Shetty triumphed over Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the men's singles semi-final. Despite losing the first game 10-21, the 20-year-old made a stunning comeback, winning the next two games 21-19 and 21-17, securing his place in the final.

This victory is monumental for Shetty, establishing him as a promising figure in Indian badminton, especially considering his opponent, Kunlavut, is the reigning World No. 1 and a silver medalist from the 2024 Paris Olympics, along with being a three-time World Championship medalist.

Historic Achievement for Ayush Shetty

Shetty has made history by becoming the first Indian in 61 years to reach the BAC final, following Dinesh Khanna's achievement in 1965. Khanna remains the only Indian to have won gold at this prestigious event. Additionally, Shetty has guaranteed India its first medal in the men's singles category since HS Prannoy's bronze in 2018. Other notable Indian players who have previously secured bronze include Dinesh Khanna (1969), Prakash Padukone (1976), Pullela Gopichand (2000), and Anup Sridhar (2007).

In the final, Shetty will face the winner of the second semi-final between Chou Tien-chen from Taiwan and Shi Yuqi from China. He has the opportunity to become only the third Indian to win gold in the tournament's six-decade history, joining Khanna and the men's doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, who won in 2023.