Indian badminton star Ayush Shetty produced a stunning upset on home soil, knocking defending champion and world No. 1 Shi Yuqi out in the opening round of the World Badminton Championships in New Delhi.
The 21-year-old Indian defeated the Chinese star 14-21, 21-13, 21-19 in a thrilling contest lasting one hour and 13 minutes.
Shetty Delights Home Crowd
Playing in his first World Championships, Shetty embraced the huge support from the crowd at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
The 22nd-ranked Indian made a strong start, racing to an 11-5 lead and eventually taking the opening game 21-14.
Shi responded in the second game, using his experience to level the match at 1-1. But Shetty remained composed when the pressure increased in the deciding game.
Indian Star Holds His Nerve
The final game was a tense battle, with Shetty relying on his 1.95-metre frame, long reach and powerful smashes to keep Shi under pressure.
Shi attempted a late comeback after cutting the deficit from 7-17 to 15-18, but Shetty refused to lose control.
The Indian sealed the biggest win of his young career with a powerful final smash before celebrating with the passionate home crowd.
Shi Yuqi Admits World No. 1 Can Make Mistakes
Shi, who won the previous World Championships in Paris last year, admitted that the atmosphere played a role in the contest.
Reflecting on the defeat, the Chinese star acknowledged that even the world’s top-ranked player can have an off day.
The loss means Shi will not be able to defend the world title he won in 2025.
Shetty Credits Home Support
Shetty said the crowd’s energy helped him maintain his composure during the most difficult moments.
“Definitely it was an energy-booster for me.”
The young Indian added that the support from fans helped him stay focused when he began to feel nervous late in the deciding game.
After the victory, Shetty celebrated with fans, signing autographs and posing for selfies.
Top-Ranked An Se-young Advances
Elsewhere, women’s world No. 1 An Se-young safely progressed to the second round with a straight-games victory.
The South Korean defeated Bulgaria’s Kaloyana Nalbantova 21-14, 21-13 in 41 minutes.
It was An’s first competitive appearance since she withdrew from the Japan Open last month because of a foot problem.
An Se-young Finds Her Rhythm
An initially took time to settle into the match but quickly established control.
With the opening game tied at 9-9, the Olympic and world champion produced six consecutive points to move 15-9 ahead before closing out the game.
She admitted she was still experiencing some discomfort but said she was focused on recovering and building rhythm.
An is targeting her second world championship title, having previously won the crown in Copenhagen in 2023.
P.V. Sindhu Cruises Through
Indian badminton star P.V. Sindhu also advanced comfortably.
The former world champion defeated Ireland’s Sophia Noble 21-7, 21-11, continuing her strong form after winning the Japan Open title last month.
With Sindhu progressing and Shetty producing a major upset, Indian fans enjoyed a memorable opening day at the World Badminton Championships in New Delhi.