indian express

India's 21-year-old badminton star Ayush Shetty stunned defending champion and World No. 1 Shi Yuqi of China 21-14, 13-21, 21-19 in the BWF World Championships 2026 Round of 64 clash. The youngster, who hails from Karkala in Karnataka, looked in sensational form as he came up with brilliant smashes and terrific defence to pull off a stunning win in front of the home crowd in New Delhi. This was his first-ever win over Shi Yuqi after three successive losses, including a straight-game loss in the final of the Asia Badminton Championships earlier this year. Ayush was off to a flying start with a 21-14 win in the first game and although he dropped the second game, the youngster did not give up. He fought back brilliantly and was able to finish the match in style. Who is Ayush Shetty? Shetty found himself in the headlines earlier this year after he became the first Indian men's singles player to reach the Badminton Asia Championships final in 61 years. While he was defeated by...