Now Reading: Ayush Shetty to face top seed Shi Yu Qi on debut
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Ayush Shetty to face top seed Shi Yu Qi on debut
Ayush Shetty will play World No.1 and reigning champion Shi Yu Qi in the first round of the BWF World Championships, his debut at the tournament. The 21-year-old Indian said he feels…
The Story in Brief
Ayush Shetty will play World No.1 and reigning champion Shi Yu Qi in the first round of the BWF World Championships, his debut at the tournament. The 21-year-old Indian said he feels no revenge or pressure despite losing to the Chinese shuttler in all three previous meetings, including the 2026 Asian Championships final. The World Championships are returning to India after 17 years.
Shetty has modified his training, making sessions longer and tougher, and aims to be more aggressive on court. He said he is focusing only on the first round and not thinking about a potential second-round opponent. “I see it as a really special tournament,” he told Sportstar.
The Indian Opinion
The media narrative around Ayush Shetty’s opener has been heavy on revenge and pressure, but the 21-year-old has dismissed both. That is refreshingly honest. At home, the crowd will expect a giant-killing, yet the sensible view is that Shi Yu Qi is the world champion for a reason. The real test is not whether Shetty wins, but whether his longer, more aggressive training translates into a competitive game. Can he take even one game off the World No.1?
Sources (3): sports.ndtv.com, sports.ndtv.com (2), sportstar.thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
