Ayush Shetty Stuns World No. 7 at Badminton Asia Championships
Ayush Shetty announced himself on the continental stage Thursday, defeating world number seven Lin Shi Feng of China 21-13, 21-16 to reach the second round of the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo. The 20-year-old needed just 51 minutes to dismantle the highly-ranked Chinese shuttler on his home soil — a result few had predicted.
It was not a fluke either. Shetty controlled both games from the front, racing through the opening set before Lin mounted a brief challenge in the second. It didn’t matter. Shetty closed it out with the same composure he opened with.
India’s campaign in Ningbo got even better from there. PV Sindhu survived a tricky opener, dropping the first game 15-21 to Wong Ling Ching of Malaysia before roaring back 21-11, 21-19 to progress. The former world champion looked sharp in the decider. And HS Prannoy made it three Indians through, brushing aside Vietnam’s Nguyen Hai Dang 24-22, 21-12 in a match that was tighter than the scoreline suggests.
Three through in a single day. On Chinese soil. India’s badminton depth is no longer just potential — it’s showing up in results.