Ayush Shetty has made history by becoming the first Indian to reach the men's singles final of the Badminton Asia Championships. The 20-year-old stunned world No.1 and defending champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand in a thrilling match that lasted an hour and 15 minutes.
Shetty, who started playing at the senior level only two years ago, overcame Vitidsarn 10-21, 21-19, 21-17 in what was their second contest. The Indian shuttler has been in impressive form, beating reigning Asian Games gold medallist Li Shi Feng, Chinese Taipei's Chi Yu Jen, and former All England champion Jonatan Christie en route to the final.
Shetty's coach, U Vimal Kumar, praised his composure under pressure, saying, 'He clearly got into Kunlavut's mind. Such steep smashes. He has been handling tough and crucial situations exceptionally well.'
Shetty will now face reigning world champion and second seed Shi Yu Qi in the final, who will be backed by the crowd at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center. Despite their previous losses to Shi Yu Qi, Shetty is confident and excited for the challenge, saying, 'I'm really excited for it. He is one of the best players in the world. Playing Shi Yu Qi would be amazing in China.'
