BWF World Championships 2026: Rising Indian badminton star Ayush Shetty made history by pulling off the tournament's biggest upset. The 21-year-old Indian shuttler advanced to the second round of the men's singles event after defeating the world number one, China's Shi Yu Qi, in a thrilling, nail-biting match that ended 21-14, 13-21, 21-19.
Karnataka's Ayush Shetty stunned everyone by putting the Chinese ace on the back foot right from the start with his precise court coverage.
Ayush Shetty's Historic Victory
Ayush Shetty built an 11-5 lead on the back of excellent smashes and net play, clinching the first game 21-14 by forcing unforced errors from his Chinese opponent. In the second game, however, the experienced Shi Yu Qi staged a comeback through long rallies, pushing the match into a decider.
In the third game, Ayush displayed great composure to establish a commanding 15-5 lead. The Chinese player then launched a fierce counter-attack, narrowing the gap to 20-19. Nevertheless, Ayush produced a brilliant performance in the closing moments to win the match point and secure the biggest victory of his career.
Reflecting on this major victory, Ayush Shetty said, "I feel great. This is truly a very special win. I am happy with the way I played today. I knew this match would be very tough and that I would have to work hard. I was mentally and physically prepared for it.
The US Open 300 champion added, Winning a World Championship on home soil is certainly a dream one grows up having. I feel wonderful today, but for now, I want to focus on the next round.
One-sided victory for PV Sindhu
Meanwhile, in the women's singles event, ninth-seeded PV Sindhu advanced to the second round by defeating Ireland's Sophia Noble 21-7, 21-11 in just 29 minutes. Sindhu already holds five World Championship medals—comprising one gold, two silver, and two bronze.
If she reaches the semi-finals of this tournament, she will make history by becoming the first player in the world to win six medals at the World Championships. In the second round, Sindhu will face Canada's Wen Yu Zhang.
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