Shuttler Ayush Shetty’s impressive journey at the Badminton Asia Championships ended with a second-place finish as he lost to China’s Shi Yu Qi in the men’s singles final. Despite his best efforts, the 20-year-old Indian, ranked 25th globally, faced a defeat of 8-21, 10-21 in the summit clash held at Ningbo Olympic Center. This achievement marked Ayush as the first Indian men’s singles player since 2018 to secure a podium spot at the continental championship.
Ayush’s path to the final included a significant victory over defending champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand in the semifinals, making him only the second Indian men’s singles player to reach the Badminton Asia Championships final. Originating from Sanoor near Karkala in Karnataka, Ayush, the 2025 US Open champion, had a remarkable campaign with notable upsets throughout the tournament. His remarkable journey began with a surprising win over world No. 7 Li Shi Feng of China in the opening round, followed by victories over other top-ranked players on his way to the final.
In the women’s singles final, Korean player An Se-young emerged victorious by defeating Wang Zhiyi with a score of 21-12, 17-12, 21-18. An Se-young, aged 24, achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first female singles player to complete a career sweep of badminton’s major championships, including the Olympic Games, world championships, World Tour Finals, All England Open, Asian Games, and now the Asian Championships.
