Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty continued his impressive run at the Badminton Asia Championships, reaching the semi-finals after a stunning win over world No. 4 Jonatan Christie in Ningbo. Ayush won 23-21, 21-17 in a closely fought match, marking his first-ever victory over the Indonesian star and securing a medal for India.This achievement is significant as Ayush became the first Indian men’s singles player since HS Prannoy in 2018 to win a medal at the continental event.
It also guarantees India’s first medal at the championships since the men’s doubles gold won by Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy in 2023.The match was a tense battle from start to finish. In the opening game, both players were evenly matched, with Christie holding a narrow lead at one stage and even earning a game point. However, Ayush showed great composure under pressure, fighting back to force a tie-break and eventually clinching the game.The second game followed a similar pattern, with Ayush taking a slight lead into the break and then tightening his grip as the game progressed. His ability to stay calm and execute key points helped him close out the match and secure a memorable victory.Ayush’s journey in the tournament has been remarkable. He earlier stunned world No. 7 Li Shi Feng in the opening round and then defeated Chi Yu Jen to reach the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, he will face either Kunlavut Vitidsarn, who defeated Weng Hongyang 20-22, 21-9, 21-9.While Ayush has been the standout performer, India’s campaign also saw setbacks, with PV Sindhu exiting in the second round and Lakshya Sen going out in the opening round.
