Ayush Shetty stuns Shi Yu Qi in opening round of BWF World Championships 2026
Ayush Shetty upset top seed and defending champion Shi Yu Qi in the opening round of the BWF World Championships 2026 on August 19, 2026, winning a 73-minute match 21-14, 13-21, 21-19.
The 21-year-old was appearing in his first-ever match at the World Championships and recorded his first victory at the event, also claiming his first win over the World No. 1 in four meetings. Shetty had lost their three previous encounters — at the Asian Championships in April this year, in the Malaysia Open opener, and at last year's Indonesia Masters.
Shetty built a substantial lead in the deciding game, at one stage 17-7, and was ahead 17-9 when he sustained an injury and required treatment on court. By the post-match media interaction he was drenched in sweat and had visible bloodstains on his shorts.
The injury shifted momentum as Shi mounted a comeback, closing to 11-18, then 15-19 before reaching 19-20 in the decider. Shetty finished the match with a forehand from close to the net into the back of Shi’s court to seal the 21-19 final game.
“I was telling myself to stay calm because I was getting a little nervous. Shi was closing the gap, had the momentum and somehow managed to get through everything I threw at him. So, I kept reminding myself to stay composed and continue being aggressive,” Ayush told reporters post his stunning win.
“Definitely, the crowd was really behind me and was giving me energy. I was a bit tired, but the crowd cheering like that gave me a lot of energy.”
Ayush will next face Sri Lanka’s Dumindu Abeywickrama; Dumindu defeated Shetty in their only previous meeting at the 2023 Bahrain International Challenge. “Yeah, I am feeling great today, but I want to keep my head down and focus on the next round. I am happy with the win against Shi, but I want to go much further in the tournament. For now, though, the focus is on the next round,” he added.
Shetty’s victory eliminates the reigning champion from the men’s singles draw and sends him into the second round, where he will meet Dumindu Abeywickrama.