Shetty drags world No.1 Shi Yuqi to three games as An Se-young wins in straight at World Championships

India’s Ayush Shetty forced world No. 1 Shi Yuqi into three games at the World Championships in New Delhi on August 18, 2026. South Korea’s An Se-young defeated Kaloyana Nalbantova in straight games in her opening match the same day.

Two players barely into their twenties faced the same daunting task at the World championships: take down a World No. 1. The 21-year-old Ayush Shetty and the 20-year-old Kaloyana Nalbantova met top-ranked opponents in first-round ties, and coach Sagar Chopda had warned beforehand: “He is playing in India and on our home court... the pressure is going to be on Shi Yuqi,” Sagar had said before the tournament. It proved prophetic.

Shetty, described in the report as relishing the pressure and the big stage, pushed Shi Yuqi all the way. Against China’s Shi Yuqi, he raced to 17-6 in the final game and left the Chinese clueless as he looked set to record the biggest win of his fledgling career. The defending champion then clawed back, turning the comfortable lead into a slender one and producing nervous moments among the crowd as Ayush tried to finish what he had started.

India's Ayush Shetty celebrates after winning his first-round match against China's Yu Qi Shi. The report notes his visible relief and celebration following the victory over the high-ranked opponent in the opening round.

Kaloyana Nalbantova approached her match with An Se-young calling her opponent “the best” and describing her draw as “the hardest first round one can get.” An Se-young won in straight games, leaving Nalbantova to measure the gap between herself and the sport’s elite. The Bulgarian accepted the defeat without bitterness, saying, “I had the best experience one can have.”

Both contests were first-round fixtures at the World Championships: Shetty emerged victorious over Shi Yuqi in his opener, and An Se-young advanced with a straight-games win over Nalbantova.