New Delhi: Young Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty fell short in his quest for a title, losing to China’s Shi Yuqi in the final of the Badminton Asia Championship. His brilliant run ended with an 8-21, 10-21 defeat against the world number one. 2, as India’s wait for a men’s singles gold at the event ended over six decades.Shi Yuqi was in complete command, producing a clinical performance to secure the crown in just 40 minutes. The reigning world champion added an Asian title to his decorated tally, becoming the first Chinese men’s singles winner at the tournament since 2016.
Despite the loss, Aayush emerged as one of the biggest positives of the competition. The 20-year-old’s giant-killing run is set to propel him into the top 20 of the world rankings, reflecting his rapid rise to the international stage. His silver medal also made him the first Indian men’s singles player to achieve a podium finish at a continental meet since HS Prannoy in 2018.In doing so, Ayush added his name to a short list of Indian achievers in the tournament. Dinesh Khanna remains the only Indian men’s singles champion, having won the title in 1965, while the duo of Satuk Sairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty took the men’s doubles crown in 2023.A product of the Padukone Dravid Center for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru, Ayush has already made history by becoming the first Indian to reach the men’s singles final in 61 years, matching the milestone last achieved by Khanna. His run included a stunning semi-final victory over world No. 1 and defending champion Kanlavat Witedesarn.He opened his campaign with a straight games win over world No. 7 Li Shifeng and followed it up with another comfortable victory over Chinese Taipei’s Chi Yujin in the round of 16. In the quarterfinals, he defeated world number 4 Jonathan Christie of Indonesia in a tight contest to win India’s first medal in the event.Ayush then put on the best performance of his campaign in the semi-finals, coming from a game down to defeat Kanlawat in three games. Throughout the tournament, he beat three top-10 players – Li Shifeng, Jonathan Christie and Kunlavot Witedsern – highlighting his courage and attacking quality, even as he fell one step short of the historic title.
