World C'ships: Shetty to face top-ranked Shi Yuqi in opener - full draw
Indian badminton player Ayush Shetty is set to face world No. 1 Shi Yuqi in the opening round of the BWF World Championships. Despite a winless record against the Chinese champion, coaches remain optimistic about Shetty's potential.
Why it matters
This match is a significant test for emerging Indian talent on the global badminton stage.
NEW DELHI: At 21, Ayush Shetty has already added multiple feathers to his cap. He won a bronze medal in the boys' singles event at the 2023 World Junior Championships. Earlier this year, he became the first Indian men's singles shuttler to win a silver medal at the Asian Championships.The Karkala, Karnataka-born shuttler was denied the gold medal by Shi Yuqi. The 30-year-old Chinese world No. 1 secured a comfortable 21-8, 21-10 victory in the final in Ningbo, China.That defeat extended Shetty's winless record against Yuqi to 0-3, with the other losses coming at the 2026 Malaysia Open and the 2025 Indonesia Masters.Shetty, who was also part of India's bronze medal-winning team at the 2026 Thomas Cup, will have an opportunity to avenge those defeats when he faces Yuqi in the first round of the BWF World Championships in New Delhi, which begin on August 17.It will be a daunting…
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