Ayush Shetty Shocks World No. 4 to Reach Badminton Asia Championships Semis
Ayush Shetty's Remarkable Journey at the Championships
File image of Ayush Shetty (Photo: @KhelNow/X)
Ningbo, April 10: Indian badminton player Ayush Shetty caused a significant upset at the Badminton Asia Championships, advancing to the semi-finals after defeating Indonesia's world No. 4, Jonatan Christie, at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center on Friday.
Ayush achieved a remarkable victory with scores of 23-21, 21-17 against the Olympian and third seed Christie, marking him as the first Indian men's singles player to earn a medal at this continental event since HS Prannoy in 2018. This match was their first encounter, and Ayush's win over Christie is particularly noteworthy.
This victory also signifies India's first medal at the Badminton Asia Championships since Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy clinched gold in men's doubles in 2023.
In the semi-finals, Ayush is set to face the winner of the match between Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand, a silver medallist from the Paris 2024 Olympics, and Weng Hongyang.
The initial game was intensely competitive, with neither player gaining a significant lead. Christie managed to hold a narrow 11-10 advantage at the break. After the interval, the Indonesian player seemed to take control, leading 18-15 and even reaching a game point. However, Ayush mounted a comeback, pushing the game into a tie-break.
The second game was equally challenging, with Ayush leading 11-9 at the interval before solidifying his control and ultimately securing his place in the semi-finals.
Earlier in the tournament, Ayush had already made headlines by defeating world No. 7 and reigning Asian Games champion Li Shi Feng in the first round, followed by a win against Chi Yu Jen from Chinese Taipei to reach the quarter-finals.
Unfortunately, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu's journey ended in the second round, while Lakshya Sen was eliminated in the opening round.