Ayush Shetty Shocks Badminton World by Defeating World No. 1 Shi Yuqi
Historic Upset at BWF World Championships 2026
In a stunning turn of events, 21-year-old Indian badminton player Ayush Shetty triumphed over World No. 1 Shi Yuqi during the first round of the BWF World Badminton Championships 2026, held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on August 17.
Shetty secured victory in a thrilling match that ended with scores of 21-14, 13-21, and 21-19. After taking the first game, he faced a setback as the Chinese player leveled the match by winning the second game. The final set was a nail-biter, with both players exchanging leads, but Shetty maintained his composure to clinch the win.
This victory marks Shetty's first win against a Chinese opponent in four encounters, propelling him into the second round of the tournament.
Profile of Ayush Shetty
Ayush Shetty, born on May 3, 2005, in Karkala, Karnataka, has quickly risen through the ranks in Indian badminton. His journey began at the age of eight, playing with his father, Ramprakash Shetty, in their village.
He developed his skills under the guidance of coaches Subhash and Chetan at St John’s Academy and Badminton Mangaluru. To further his training, Shetty moved to Bengaluru to join the renowned Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy, where he trained under Vimal Kumar and other notable coaches.
Shetty's career took off in 2023 when he earned a bronze medal at the World Junior Championships. In 2025, he won his first BWF Tour title at the US Open, defeating Canada’s Brian Yang. He also secured a silver medal at the Asian Badminton Championships in 2026, becoming the first Indian since Dinesh Khanna in 1965 to reach the finals.
Future Prospects for Ayush Shetty
Following his impressive win against Shi Yuqi, Shetty is considered one of the favorites to progress further in the tournament, alongside renowned players like PV Sindhu and the doubles team of Chirag Shetty and Satwik Rankireddy.
In the next round, he will compete against Dumindu Abeywickrama from Sri Lanka. If successful, he will face either Alwi Farhan from Indonesia or Joakim Oldorff from Finland in the pre-quarterfinals.
Shetty aims to leverage his recent success as a stepping stone towards achieving greater heights in the badminton world, representing India on this prestigious platform.