Ayush Shetty Stuns World No. 1 Shi Yu Qi at World Championships

Ayush Shetty produced the standout result of the BWF World Championships on Monday, defeating world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi of China 21-14, 13-21, 21-19 to reach the men’s singles second round. The 21-year-old Indian held his nerve after Shi saved four match points in the deciding game, completing what was described as the biggest win of Shetty’s career.

PV Sindhu also moved into the next round in women’s singles with a 21-7, 21-11 victory over Ireland’s Sophia Noble. In doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand won their opening women’s doubles match, while Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun progressed after their opponents retired.

Shetty withstands late Shi comeback

Shetty began strongly against defending champion Shi, opening an 11-5 advantage at the interval of the first game. He maintained control to take the opener 21-14, with Shi contributing a number of errors into the net and wide of the court.

Shi responded in the second game, using long rallies as the contest shifted. Errors entered Shetty’s game and the Chinese player levelled the match by taking the second game 21-13, forcing a decider in the first-round contest.

The final game initially followed the pattern of the opener. Shetty rebuilt momentum and again led 11-5 at the mid-game break. He extended that advantage to 15-5 and later reached 20-15, placing himself one point from a landmark victory.

Shi then mounted a dramatic recovery, winning four consecutive points to cut the deficit to 20-19. Shetty, however, won the next point to close out the match 21-19 and advance. The result adds another major name to a list of high-profile opponents beaten by Shetty.

Earlier this year, Shetty became India’s first men’s singles finalist at the Badminton Asia Championships since 1965, taking silver after victories over Li Shi Feng, Jonatan Christie and Kunlavut Vitidsarn. He also won the 2025 US Open Super 300.

Sindhu makes winning start as doubles pairs progress

Two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu opened her World Championships campaign with a straightforward 29-minute win over Noble. Seeded ninth, Sindhu raced to an 11-2 interval lead in the first game before taking it 21-7.

Noble offered more resistance in the early part of the second game, but Sindhu led 11-8 at the break and pulled away after the restart to complete a 21-11 win. Sindhu said she was comfortable throughout after making a strong start, while noting that some drops and half-smashes went out during the first half of the second game.

Sindhu is pursuing a sixth World Championships medal. Her record at the event includes one gold, two silver medals and two bronze medals. A semifinal appearance would guarantee another bronze and make her the first player to win six World Championships medals. She will next face Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang, who defeated Bulgaria’s Stefani Stoeva 21-7, 21-19.

Jolly and Gopichand defeated Spain’s Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez 21-9, 21-13 in women’s doubles. Hariharan and Arjun advanced in men’s doubles after Scott Guildea and Paul Reynolds retired while trailing 21-16, 6-4. Fifth-seeded Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty received a bye into the second round.