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Ayush Shetty Stuns World No. 7, PV Sindhu & HS Prannoy Advance at Asia Championships

Indian teenager Ayush Shetty caused a massive upset by defeating world number seven and reigning Hong Kong Open champion Li Shi Feng of China in straight games. Former world champion PV Sindhu fought back from a game down to overcome Malaysia's Wong Ling Ching in a tough three-set match. HS Prannoy also progressed comfortably, defeating Vietnam's Nguyen Hai Dang in two games. However, the day saw early exits for other Indian contenders including Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth.

Key Points: Ayush Shetty Upsets World No. 7 at Badminton Asia Championships 2026

  • Ayush Shetty defeats world no. 7 Li Shi Feng
  • PV Sindhu wins three-game thriller
  • HS Prannoy advances in straight games
  • Indian stars move to pre-quarterfinals
  • Lakshya Sen, Srikanth face early exit
2 min read

Badminton Asia Championships 2026: Ayush Shetty stuns world no. 7, PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy also advance

India's Ayush Shetty stuns world no. 7 Li Shi Feng. PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy also advance to pre-quarterfinals at Badminton Asia Championships 2026.

"Ayush Shetty produced a major upset, defeating World No. 7... Li Shi Feng of China in straight games - Release"

Beijing, April 8

India's rising star Ayush Shetty, former World Champion PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy progressed to the pre-quarterfinals at the Badminton Asia Championships 2026 at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Centre in China, according to a release.

US Open 2025 champion Ayush Shetty produced a major upset, defeating World No. 7 and Hong Kong Open 2025 champion Li Shi Feng of China in straight games, 21-13, 21-16, in 51 minutes.

Despite Li's strong start in both games, the Indian youngster dominated the later stages to advance to the round of 16. In the opening game, Ayush fought back early to level at 4-4, with Li holding a slight edge until 7-7. From there, Ayush overpowered the home favourite to take the game 21-13.

The second game followed a similar pattern, with Li pressing hard early on. Ayush fought back to level the score multiple times and took charge at 13-13, winning six straight points to close out the match 21-16. He will next face Chi Yu Jen of Chinese Taipei.

PV Sindhu defeated Malaysia's Wong Ling Ching in women's singles 15-21, 21-11, 21-19 in 1 hour and 7 minutes. She will next face World No. 2 Wang Zhi Yi of China in the pre-quarterfinals both having 3-3 win-loss in past meetups.

In men's singles, HS Prannoy beat Nguyen Hai Dang of Vietnam 24-22, 21-12 in 47 minutes. He will meet Hong Yang of China in the pre-quarterfinals after the latter received a walkover in the opening round.

Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, Malvika Bansod and Tanvi Sharma faced an exit in their respective opening round matches.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Sindhu's fighting spirit is unmatched! Coming back after losing the first game shows her champion mentality. The next match against Wang Zhi Yi will be a real test, their head-to-head is perfectly balanced. All the best, Champ! 💪
V
Vikram M
Prannoy's win was solid, but the real story is Ayush Shetty. From US Open champion to beating a top 10 player in China... this kid is special. BAI needs to ensure he gets the right support and isn't overplayed. We've seen talents fade due to poor scheduling.
S
Sarah B
Following from the UK! Amazing results for India. The depth is really improving. Sad to see Lakshya Sen lose early again, hope he finds his form. The mixed day shows how competitive the sport is at this level.
R
Rohit P
Bahut badhiya! 🏸 Shetty's win is the kind of upset we love to see. Dominating the later stages against a higher-ranked opponent shows great fitness and mental strength. Hope he carries this momentum against Chinese Taipei.
K
Karthik V
A respectful note of concern: while we celebrate the wins, the early exits of Sen, Srikanth, Bansod, and Sharma highlight inconsistency. We need a stronger bench and better sports science to help players maintain peak performance throughout the season.

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