Ayush Shetty: I would like to set my own benchmark

Ayush Shetty, 21, will make his World Championships debut at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi when the tournament begins on August 17, and he opens against Shi Yu Qi, the world No. 1. "I would like to set my own benchmark," Shetty said ahead of the event.

Shetty has long been described as a naturally laid-back player who let his badminton do the talking, but he says his on-court approach has changed and become more aggressive, which he believes gives him energy. The home crowd and accompanying expectations come into play as he prepares for his first appearance at the Worlds; he accepts the pressure but insists he is not burdened by past results. He enters the tournament believing he has learnt to match the pace of the top players and wants to test that belief on the biggest stage.

Reflecting on his transition to senior competition, Shetty said: "When I entered the senior circuit, playing against the top-20 players was really a great challenge. Matching their pace, in particular, was really tough. But I’ve now adapted to it. I think I can push them and play at their pace. I’m a lot more confident now." He added that more than a year on the senior circuit has brought confidence.

On his first-round draw with Shi Yu Qi — and a previous loss to him at the Asian Championships earlier this year — Shetty said: "There’s no revenge or any other kind of emotion in my mind. It’s a new tournament, and I’m not really thinking about that defeat. I’ll definitely be analysing that match and I’ll be more prepared, I feel. I’ll be tactically better this time as I remember Shi outplayed me in that clash." He also noted: "I’ve lost to him thrice, and I’ve had some good learnings from those matches. In terms of the tactical aspects of the game, I think the Asian championships match was much better. We’ve been working really hard on those things right now and I feel a lot stronger. It’ll again be a tough match, but I think it’ll definitely be a different one this time."

Shetty outlined the challenge posed by compatriot Alwi Farhan, a possible round-of-16 opponent, saying: "Alwi plays at a really high pace. The variations he has from the backcourt are really amazing. He has one of the best drops in men’s singles right now. That makes it really tough playing him. And he’s also a bit cheeky on the court; he doesn’t give his opponent a lot of space." On his win over Alwi at the China Open he said: "That was more of a tactical contest. There was a lot of drift playing its part, too. My coach (Sagar Chopda) and I had a solid strategy, and it was executed really well. That’s how we were on the winning side that day. I think it was really amazing. I lost to him twice before, but this was a good match for me."

Shetty described his World Championships preparation as comprehensive, listing physical, tactical and shot-making work: "We’ve been preparing really well for the World championships. We’re working on all aspects of the game, including the physical and tactical parts. We’re working on being more accurate in shot-making." He added that training patterns have changed to peak for major events: "Yeah, definitely. The focus has been on peaking for these tournaments, and I think the preparations are going really well. I would definitely be at my best while playing at the Worlds." On working with training partner Irwansyah Adi Pratama he said: "The training has been a lot tougher. We have been training really long as well and he’s been focusing more on speed. I’ve been trying to get much more faster, much more agile, and play aggressively. Outside the court, he’s a very good guy. I can share anything with him and he will guide me in the right direction. That way, he’s been really open." Asked about match-day interaction, he explained: "On match-day, it’s more about the contest. We analyse the match, he has his inputs and we prepare accordingly. It’s nothing too in-depth, we don’t talk a lot about the match but we just focus on the specifics."

Shetty said he learns from sparring with P. V. Sindhu: "We have a similar type of game. She is also tall and attacking. There’s a lot to learn from her." He confirmed a deliberate shift to being more expressive during matches: "Yeah, I think it helps me get more energy. I’ve been consciously focusing on it. My natural style would be a bit more laid-back, not express much, but I’ve been trying to be more aggressive on the court now." On outside praise and setbacks he said: "It’s a great honour to be praised by big legends. But also, when you’re having early exits, it’s the opposite. I focus more on myself, on getting better every day and believing in the process. I am enjoying playing badminton, and that’s been my motto all along." About the impact of a home crowd on a young spectator he added: "I think it would be about how everyone comes to the stadium and supports the players. It would be amazing for any player to play with the crowd behind them, cheering for every point. I think that would inspire everyone, and that would mean a lot."

Shetty’s next confirmed match is the first-round meeting with Shi Yu Qi at the World Championships in New Delhi on August 17 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, which will mark his debut at the event.