Badminton World Championships | Giant-killer Ayush sends Shi packing
Indian badminton player Ayush Shetty secured a major upset victory against World No. 1 Shi Yuqi at the Badminton World Championships. Despite a late comeback attempt by the Chinese star, Shetty maintained his composure to win in three sets.
Why it matters
This victory marks a significant breakthrough for the young Indian athlete on the global stage, signaling a potential shift in the competitive landscape of professional badminton.
Ayush Shetty, ahead of his badminton World championships debut against defending champion and World No. 1 Shi Yuqi, had assured: “Tomorrow is a new day, and it will be a different game.”
The youngster made good on his promise, sending the Chinese star packing on Monday for the biggest upset of the day and perhaps the entire tournament. He won 21-14, 13-21, 21-19 in 73 minutes despite a late surge from Shi that almost derailed his dream start.
With Ayush leading 17-6 in the decider, the match looked all wrapped up. But Shi stepped up, produced a few impeccable smashes that landed on the line and came up with delectable drops to make it 19-20.
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