Now Reading: Ayush Shetty stuns world No. 1 Shi Yuqi at World Championships
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Ayush Shetty stuns world No. 1 Shi Yuqi at World Championships
Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty pulled off a stunning giant-killing act at the World Championships in New Delhi, defeating world No. 1 Shi Yuqi of China 21-14, 13-21, 21-19 in the first round.…
Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty pulled off a stunning giant-killing act at the World Championships in New Delhi, defeating world No. 1 Shi Yuqi of China 21-14, 13-21, 21-19 in the first round. Shetty, making his World Championships debut, held his nerve on his fifth match point to seal the victory and advance to the second round.
The 21-year-old had reportedly written off August 17 as a bad day for Shi Yuqi before producing the upset. The match was a hard-fought battle, with Shetty taking the first game comfortably, losing the second, and then edging a tight decider.
Indian Opinion Analysis
This is among the biggest upsets in Indian badminton at a World Championships, drawing comparisons with P V Sindhu's early-career wins over top seeds. Shetty, ranked outside the top 50, now faces a likely path through lower-ranked opponents in the second round. The Badminton World Federation rankings mean a deep run here could boost his ranking significantly, opening doors to higher-tier events. His next match will be closely watched for consistency after this breakthrough.
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
