Ayush Shetty Shocks World No. 7 Li Shi Feng in Badminton Asia Championships
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Ningbo (China), April 8 (NationPress) Indian badminton player Ayush Shetty has delivered a stunning performance by defeating World No. 7 Li Shi Feng in a commanding straight-games victory, advancing to the second round of the Badminton Asia Championships on Wednesday.
Ayush achieved a remarkable 21-13, 21-16 victory over the fifth-seeded Chinese player, in a match that spanned 51 minutes at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center. This encounter marked Ayush's inaugural meeting with the 2023 All England Open champion. His next challenge will be against world No. 20 Chi Yu Jen from Taipei, aiming for a spot in the quarterfinals.
This victory is not Ayush's first against a higher-ranked opponent. Last year, he made headlines by overcoming world No. 6 Chou Tien-chen from Chinese Taipei in the semi-finals of the US Open, ultimately clinching the title against Brian Yang of Canada.
Earlier in the competition, India's top mixed doubles pair, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, kicked off their campaign on Day 1 with a win, defeating Thailand's Phuwanat Horbanluekit and Benyapa Aimsaard with scores of 21-14, 11-21, 21-15.
In other mixed doubles matches, Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh faced defeat against Malaysia's Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sien, losing 21-16, 21-15, while Rohan Kapoor and Gadde Ruthvika Shivani exited against the eighth seeds Goh Soon Huat and Lai Shevon Jemie, with a score of 21-13, 21-19.
Meanwhile, top Indian singles players, PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen, are set to compete later today. Two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu will commence her campaign against Malaysia's Wong Ling Ching in the round of 32.
Additionally, three other Indian women’s singles players—Unnati Hooda, Malvika Bansod, and Tanvi Sharma—have also made it to the main draw and are anticipated to begin their matches on Wednesday.
In the men's singles bracket, Thomas Cup winner H.S. Prannoy is set to battle World No. 62 Nguyen Hai Dang of Vietnam, while the young talent Ayush Shetty will face off against fifth seed Li Shi Feng of China in his opening match.