Bengaluru: Certainly, Ayush Shetty is the rising badminton star in India. His entry into the semi-finals of Badminton Asia Championships 2026 by stunning World No. 4 Jonatan Christie in Ningbo, China has been a clear show of his dominance.
But on Saturday (April 11), the 20-year-old is set to face the biggest challenge of his career as he is all set to face top seed and World No. 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand in the semifinals.
He is the only Indian singles player to reach the final four. His medal at the 2026 Badminton Asia Championships marks a big moment for Indian badminton.
He ended an eight-year drought for India in men’s singles at this event. He is the first to win a medal since HS Prannoy’s bronze in 2018.
The player now joins an elite list of Indian players who have medalled at the continental championships. He is being counted among legends like Dinesh Khanna, Prakash Padukone, and Pullela Gopichand.
The timing of his victory is also significant as PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, and HS Prannoy had exited early. But he is standing tall as the lone Indian singles player in contention.
Will he get the gold medal?
Shetty is now just two wins away from claiming the title. He has already reached the semifinals after a stunning straight-sets victory (23-21, 21-17) over Jonatan Christie. But facing Vitidsarn could be challenging.
The Thai star is the reigning world champion and also the 2024 Olympic silver medallist. He is certainly one of the toughest opponents in world badminton currently.
But Shetty has entered the tournament with a strong momentum. He has not dropped a single game so far. He has already defeated top players like Li Shi Feng and Jonatan Christie.
‘He has come into the big league’
Even his coach at Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru and former Badminton player Vimal Kumar was ecstatic about his victory against Christie. “Ayush appeared little exhausted towards the end but that tactical break he did and the important three points he played clearly shows that he has come into the big league,” he observed. He emphasized that Ayush pulling out the first game was crucial.
Where to watch the match today?
The match will be live-streamed on Badminton Asia’s official Facebook page in India and its YouTube channel. It will not be available for live telecast on television in the country. It is expected to start around 11:30 am IST on Saturday.
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