Ayush Shetty calls win over world No 1 Shi Yu Qi special
Giant-killer Ayush Shetty on Monday, August 17, described his stunning upset of defending champion and world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi as "special," but stressed the job is far from done at the ongoing BWF World Championships, according to a PTI report by Saumojyoti S Choudhury.
Shetty, who became India's first men's singles finalist at the Badminton Asia Championships since 1965 in April, extended his giant-killing run by adding Shi to a list of high-profile scalps that already includes Li Shi Feng, Jonatan Christie and Kunlavut Vitidsarn from his silver-medal run at the continental championships earlier this year.
The 21-year-old from Mangaluru, who won the 2025 US Open Super 300, beat Shi 21-14, 13-21, 21-19 in a gripping first-round men's singles contest.
"I think I'm feeling great. It's a really special win. I'm super happy with the way I played today. I knew it would be a really tough match and I really had to work very hard. I was mentally prepared physically as well," Shetty said after the biggest win of his career, per the report.
Shetty led by 10 points at one stage in the deciding game before Shi mounted a remarkable comeback to close the gap to 20-19, but the Indian held his nerve to close out the match.
"I was telling myself to calm down. I was getting a bit nervous because he was really catching up and the momentum was with him. Everything I did, he somehow managed to get through it. So I was just telling myself to calm down and be aggressive," he said.
He credited his coach's guidance and preparation for the win. "He (my coach) told me to enjoy every point. It's a really great match and in the home soil, playing was a really great opportunity for me. I think we had a solid game plan and somehow managed to pull it off."
Shetty said drift in the arena was less of a factor than expected. "I think it was the better end (the right side), I would say. But I think the drift today was really less compared to what I practised. I think it was similar on both sides. So, I think it didn't make much of a difference.
But yeah, I think at some stage, I was hitting a bit of unforced errors from the faster side," he said, adding that switching to high lifts and defensive play helped him recover during tough phases.
The home crowd's energy played a role in helping him through difficult stretches of the match, Shetty said. "Definitely, it's an energy booster for me. The way they were standing and supporting. I think I was super happy seeing everyone cheer for me and I think it gave me a lot of energy."
He added that both his technical and mental preparation had been thorough ahead of the contest. "I think technically I was much more prepared and mentally as well. I was ready to work really hard. And yeah, I think I knew it would be a really tough match. Happy to put it off."
Despite the high-profile win, Shetty said he was not looking too far ahead in the tournament. "I'm not thinking much about the opponents. I think I'm focusing on the next opponent at this point. I think everyone is super tough and men's singles right now is really hard and I think I have to be at my best on all days," he said.
He acknowledged the significance of the achievement while keeping his ambitions grounded. "I mean, winning a world championship at home, growing up you must have dreamt about such a victory. I'm feeling great today. But I want to keep my head down and focus on the next round for now."
(Inputs from PTI)
