There is expectation as well as butterflies as India’s blue-eyed shuttler Ayush Shetty gears up to make his debut at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
Ever since becoming India’s milestone man at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, where he became the first Indian to reach the men’s singles final in 61 years, Ayush has been the centre of attention. Since that historic run, he has emerged as a beacon of hope for Indian badminton fans, who will eagerly look to him and Lakshya Sen to end India’s three-year medal drought in the category.
Overcoming the setback
The young and unseeded Ayush’s opening match has already drawn plenty of attention. He will face defending champion and top seed Shi Yuqi in a rematch of their Asia Championships final. It is a daunting draw that could dampen hopes, especially with Ayush having lost all three of their previous meetings. Their last encounter ended in an 8-21, 10-21 defeat for the Indian.
But this time, Sagar Chopda, head coach at the Centre for Badminton Excellence in Bengaluru, where Ayush trains, believes the pressure will be on Shi Yuqi.
On a learning curve in his young career, Ayush has handled the setback quite well after his historic campaign in April. Rather than dwelling on the defeat, he has focused on preparing for the fixture, with an emphasis on sharpening his tactics.
Ayush has already made his opponents sit up and take notice. His jump smash is one of the most difficult shots to negate on the World Tour, with his racquet reaching a contact point 7.5 to 8.5 feet above the ground, giving the shuttle a steep trajectory.
Last year, Shi was seen preparing specifically for Ayush’s relentless smashes, with his coach standing on a wooden floor while an AC blower simulated the wind blowing towards him. Shi’s concern was not unfounded. Between 2017 and 2023, he went winless against another towering giant of world badminton, Viktor Axelsen.
Ahead of his World Championships opener, Ayush, an Axelsen-esque player, is entering the match technically better prepared than ever and with a greater understanding of Shi’s game.
“I will be tactically better this time, as I remember how Shi outplayed me in that clash. I feel a lot stronger now,” Ayush said in a recent interview.
Training under Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama, Ayush’s focus is on building his endurance to ensure he does not run out of energy late in the tournament, as happened in the Asia Championships final, where, after stunning three world-class players, he struggled to maintain his rhythm against Shi Yuqi.
“In terms of preparations, Ayush has been training really hard. His sessions have been longer. He has worked a lot on his endurance. So, I think these were some of the areas where he lacked when he played Shi Yuqi in the previous matches,” Sagar told this website.
First round factor
Sagar also points to another factor that has been a Chinese players’ Achilles heel in recent times. China-India clashes have become increasingly common on the BWF World Tour. ousted Shi Yuqi in the first round of the All England Open in March, while a month later, Ayush sent Li Shi Feng packing in the first round of the Asia Championships. Sagar believes this recurring first-round hurdle against Indian players could add to the pressure on Shi Yuqi.
“I would say the pressure would be on Shi Yuqi because he has been actually has been facing an Indian in the first round in quite a few tournaments. So, I think Shi Yuqi would probably be tired of looking at the draw. Because at the World Championships, with a draw of 64, you would expect first couple of rounds slightly easier. So, you get adjusted to the court conditions. But that is not the case with Shi Yuqi,” Sagar stated.
Crowd support
Shi Yuqi, who enjoyed the backing of the Chinese crowd at the Asian Championships, making it difficult for the young Ayush to handle the atmosphere, is set to get a taste of the hostile atmosphere in New Delhi. With Indian fans eagerly waiting to see the defending champion from China beaten, Yuqi might have a hard time in New Delhi.
With Ayush learning to express himself more often now, his fist-pumping and aggression could give him an added burst of energy and an edge heading into his tournament opener against Shi. He is already preparing to counterattack and tame an out-of-form Shi, who has struggled to find his best form since the Asia Championships.
Despite being the world No. 1 and top seed, Shi’s recent form has been patchy. In fact, the 2026 China Open proved to be a low point for Chinese men’s singles, with no player reaching the final of the Super 1000 event.
Ayush, armed with a towering smash that packs both depth and sharp angles, and buoyed by the home crowd’s support for a rising star, is up for the Shi Yuqi challenge.
Chopda perhaps best sums up the situation ahead of Monday’s tournament opener between 21-year-old Ayush and 30-year-old Shi Yuqi.
“Shi Yuqi would be under tremendous pressure, more than Ayush. For Ayush, it is his first World Championships, and he is looking to make a mark. That is something he is already aware of. He knows there are expectations from him, so he is prepared for it.
“Similarly, Shi Yuqi is far more experienced. There is a 10-year age gap between them, which means more than a decade of experience at the international level for Shi Yuqi. But at big tournaments, whether it is the World Championships, the All England or the Olympics, the pressure is completely different. The player who handles it better will win because, game-wise, everybody is at a very similar level,” he opined.
Countering Shi’s pace and deceptive strokes
But Shi would be no pushover. He has an all-round game, underpinned by supreme tactical control, superior tempo-setting and an effortless flat-racquet technique. Rather than relying on brute force, the expressionless Chinese focuses on drawing unforced errors from his opponents.
That was evident at the Asia Championships. Coming into the final on the back of big wins over established names in world badminton – Li Shi Feng, Jonatan Christie and Kunlavut Vitidsarn – Ayush struggled to decode Shi’s deceptive and sharp strokes.
“Shi is fast and extremely deceptive. He is someone who does not allow his opponent to dictate the pace. But Ayush is now aware of that and is preparing accordingly. He knows that the opponent is not going to be too defensive or too attacking. At that level, everybody is good,” said Sagar.
Countering the pace is important. And Irwansyah is busy ensuring his ward does not look feeble in that department.
“Training has been a lot of tougher. We have been training really long as well and he (Irwansyah) has been focusing more on speed. I have been trying to get much more faster, much more agile, and play aggressively,” said Ayush.
In the end, in a pulsating match already under the spotlight as the marquee opening clash of the Worlds, the player who handles the pressure better could hold the edge.
“That would be the case here as well. The pressure will not be any less on Ayush. It will be there. But we feel it will be slightly greater for Shi Yuqi. And his current form will be a big factor,” he added.
Shi’s current form and Ayush’s strong desire to prove his mettle before the home crowd after his surge in Asia set the stage for a mouthwatering clash. Sagar, however, warns: “Shi Yuqi may not have been at his best. But coming into the World Championships, Shi Yuqi would be a completely different player.”
Regardless of his opponent’s stature or the pressure surrounding the occasion, Ayush’s aim will be to defy the prediction, end his Shi Yuqi jinx and take the Worlds by storm. “… it will be tough match, but it will definitely be a different one this time,” Ayush said.