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India's 21-year-old star shuttler Ayush Shetty pulled off a major upset on Monday, defeating top seed and defending world champion Shi Yu Qi of China in a thrilling three-game match at the 2026 BWF World Championships in New Delhi.
Playing in front of a packed home crowd at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, the World No. 22 Indian held his nerve to beat the Chinese star 21-14, 13-21, 21-19 in the Men's Singles Round of 64. Shetty started strongly, using powerful smashes and sharp net play to put Shi under pressure. He controlled the opening game and took it comfortably 21-14. However, Shetty faced difficulties after the players switched sides. Struggling with his cross-court clears, he sent several shots long, allowing Shi to settle into his rhythm. The Chinese World No. 1 capitalised on the mistakes and quickly built a lead and eventually levelled the match with a 21-13 win. The deciding game was closely fought. Shetty built an 11-5 lead at the interval, but Shi fought back in the final stages. The Indian, however, stayed calm under pressure and won the decider 21-19 to complete a stunning upset and knock the World No. 1 out of the tournament. The victory also gave Shetty some revenge after losing to Shi in the Badminton Asia Championships final earlier this year. Shetty will now look to continue his impressive run in the Round of 32. Earlier, ace shuttler PV Sindhu also made a strong start at the 2026 BWF World Championships, beating Ireland's Sophia Noble in straight games. Sindhu won the women's singles Round of 64 match 21-7, 21-11. In the Women's Doubles Round of 64, Indian pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also began their campaign with a comfortable win over Spain's Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez. The World No. 19 pair secured a convincing 21-9, 21-13 victory in just over 30 minutes. (ANI)
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