Daijiworld Media Network - Taipei
Taipei, Apr 8: India’s rising shuttler Ayush Shetty pulled off a stunning upset, defeating fifth seed Li Shi Feng in straight games to enter the Round of 16 at the Badminton Asia Championships.
In their first-ever meeting, Ayush outplayed the Asian Games gold medallist with a commanding 21-13, 21-16 victory, leaving little room for the Chinese star to mount a comeback. The win marks a significant breakthrough for the Indian, who had endured a relatively quiet 2026 season without any deep runs on the tour so far.
Ayush will next face Chi Yu Jen of Chinese Taipei in the pre-quarterfinals.
Earlier, Malvika Bansod bowed out after a straight-game loss to Busanan Ongbamrungphan (21-10, 21-19).
In other matches, Lakshya Sen is set to take on Lee Cheuk Yiu, while Tanvi Sharma will face Karupathevan Letshanaa.
Veterans Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy are slated to play against Loh Kean Yew and Nguyen Hai Dang respectively.
In women’s singles, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu will face Wong Ling Ching.
In doubles action, Indian pairs across categories are gearing up for tough contests, including a high-profile men’s doubles clash where Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun will face top seeds Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae.
Ayush’s victory has provided a timely boost to India’s campaign at the continental showpiece, raising hopes of a strong showing in the tournament.