Ayush Shetty and PV Sindhu Shine at Badminton Asia Championships 2026

Indian Players Excel in Badminton Asia Championships

Beijing [China], April 8: India's promising talent Ayush Shetty, along with former World Champion PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy, has successfully advanced to the pre-quarterfinals at the 2026 Badminton Asia Championships held at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Centre in China.

In a remarkable performance, Ayush Shetty, the 2025 US Open champion, caused a significant upset by defeating World No. 7 and 2025 Hong Kong Open champion Li Shi Feng from China in straight sets, with scores of 21-13, 21-16, taking just 51 minutes.

Although Li started strong in both games, Ayush took control in the latter stages, showcasing his skills to secure his place in the round of 16. After an early struggle, he leveled the first game at 4-4, with Li maintaining a slight lead until 7-7. Ayush then surged ahead to clinch the first game 21-13.

The second game mirrored the first, with Li initially applying pressure. However, Ayush managed to equalize several times before taking the lead at 13-13, ultimately winning six consecutive points to finish the match 21-16. He is set to face Chi Yu Jen from Chinese Taipei next.

In women's singles, PV Sindhu triumphed over Malaysia's Wong Ling Ching with scores of 15-21, 21-11, 21-19 in a match lasting 1 hour and 7 minutes. She will compete against World No. 2 Wang Zhi Yi of China in the pre-quarterfinals, with both players having a balanced record of 3-3 in their previous encounters.

HS Prannoy also advanced in men's singles, defeating Nguyen Hai Dang of Vietnam with scores of 24-22, 21-12 in 47 minutes. He is scheduled to meet Hong Yang of China in the pre-quarterfinals, following Yang's walkover in the opening round.

Unfortunately, Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, Malvika Bansod, and Tanvi Sharma were eliminated in their respective opening matches.