Ayush Shetty beats World No. 1 Shi Yuqi in New Delhi

Ayush Shetty defeated World No. 1 and defending World champion Shi Yuqi in New Delhi on August 17, 2026. When asked about the victory, the 20-year-old said: “Feeling really great, it’s a special win and I am really happy with the way I played today,”

Having registered one of his biggest victories on the biggest of stages, Shetty was too drained to celebrate immediately after the match. He is 20 years old and provided only brief comments when reporters sought his reaction.

The contest was a roller-coaster: the two players split the opening games and, in the decider, Shi Yuqi recovered from an 11-point deficit to come within striking distance of a great escape. Momentum swung late as Shi closed much of the gap before the match concluded.

Shetty described his preparation and mindset during the final game, saying: “I knew it would be tough and I would have to work hard. But I was mentally and physically prepared. I kept telling myself to calm down [in the 3rd game] because it getting a bit nervous. He was catching up, the momentum was with him and he was managing to return everything I did,” he admitted.

Shi Yuqi accepted the defeat and credited his opponent, saying: “There are no fitness issues or physical problems, Ayush played well and won,” he smiled. He added tactical reasoning about the third game: “The focus was on maintaining composure and preparing for tactical adjustments once the sides are switched and adapting strategy to use the drift to come back,” he explained about the 3rd game.

The victory came in Shetty’s first-round match against China’s Shi Yuqi.