Ayush Shetty produced the biggest shock of the Badminton World Championships so far after eliminating defending champion and world No. 1 Shi Yuqi in the opening round in New Delhi.
Backed by a passionate home crowd, the young Indian delivered the performance of his career to defeat one of the tournament favourites 21-14, 13-21, 21-19, blowing the men's singles draw wide open.
Few expected Shetty to trouble the reigning champion, particularly after losing to Shi in the Badminton Asia Championships final earlier this year. However, the Indian showed no signs of intimidation from the opening rally, taking control with an aggressive attacking display to claim the first game 21-14.
Shi responded in the second game with the composure expected of the world No. 1, levelling the match with a convincing 21-13 victory and appearing to regain momentum.
The deciding game, however, belonged to Shetty.
The Indian raced into an 11-5 lead before Shi mounted a late comeback. Despite the pressure, Shetty held his nerve in the closing stages to seal a memorable 21-19 win and record the biggest victory of his career.
It was also his first ever win over Shi and a remarkable turnaround from their meeting at the Asian Championships, highlighting the rapid progress the Indian has made over the past few months.
Speaking after the match, Shetty credited the home supporters for helping him through the tense encounter.
"The crowd was really behind me and gave me the energy," he said. "They kept cheering for me. It gave me a lot of energy."
The result is a major blow to Shi's title defence and removes the tournament's top seed before the second round. It also opens up the men's singles draw, with several contenders now seeing a clearer path towards the latter stages.
For Shetty, the victory represents a defining moment in his young career. Already regarded as one of India's brightest prospects, the 20-year-old has now announced himself as a genuine contender on badminton's biggest stage.
With confidence soaring and the backing of the home fans in New Delhi, Shetty will now look to build on his giant-killing performance and extend his dream run at the World Championships.
