Ayush Shetty shocks defending champion Shi Yuqi in thrilling BWF World Championships clash

Indian badminton’s rising star Ayush Shetty, in a thrilling first-round match in men's singles, defeated the defending champion, China’s Shi Yuqi, at the BWF World Championships 2026 in New Delhi on Monday.

Playing in front of a passionate home crowd at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, the 20-year-old showed remarkable composure and prevailed 21-14, 13-21, 21-19 in a gruelling contest that lasted 1 hour and 13 minutes.

The victory is particularly significant because Shi Yuqi entered the BWF World Championships 2026 as one of the leading contenders for the men's singles title.

For rising Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty, who won a historic silver medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in April, the World Championships represent the biggest stage of his young career. He also became only the second Indian man to reach the final of the continental championships.

"I feel prepared physically and mentally. It feels amazing, it is looking really great and there has been a lot of improvement," Shetty said to PTI before the match.

With the first-round hurdle cleared, Ayush Shetty will now look ahead to the next challenge in the BWF World Championships 2026. The New Delhi edition of the championship is also under the spotlight following a difficult India Open earlier this year, when concerns over air quality, venue hygiene, bird droppings and stray animals attracted considerable attention to the venue.