It wasn't the ending India had hoped for, but it was still a historic run as Ayush Shetty's dream campaign at the Badminton Asia Championships 2026 came to an end in the final.
World No.2 Shi Yuqi proved too strong on the day, securing gold with a dominant 21-8, 21-10 win over the 20-year-old Indian, who settled for silver, India's first men's singles medal at the tournament since 2018.
Ayush Shetty vs Shi Yuqi, Badminton Asia Championships 2026 Final
From the start, Shi Yuqi looked in complete control starting the first game with 6-2 lead. He kept the rallies tight, and didn't allow Shetty to settle into any rhythm. However, the 6 ft 5inc height of the Indian shuttler managed to overpower the chinese at some point but eventually the first game slipped away quickly 8-21.
In the second game, Shetty started on a brighter note, taking an early 4-2 lead. However, Shi Yuqi quickly pulled things back, levelling the score at 7-7. From there, it was all the Chinese shuttler, who took complete control of the court, stretching the lead from 12-8 and never looking back. Shetty could only manage a couple of points thereafter as Yuqi closed out the game comfortably 21-10.
Shetty, who had taken down some of the biggest names in the tournament, including World No.1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the semifinal, world no.4 Jonathan Christie in the quarterfinals, and other giants, looked fatigued after an intense week. A strapped shoulder and the physical toll of his giant-killing run were visible as the match progressed.
History for Ayush Shetty and Indian Badminton
Despite missing out on gold, the 20-year-old Ayush Shetty has created history for Indian badminton by winning the country's first-ever silver medal in men's singles at the Badminton Asia Championships.
The only Indian to have won gold in this event remains the legendary Dinesh Khanna, who achieved the feat back in 1965. Other Indian men's singles players who won bronze are Suresh Goel (1965), Prakash Padukone (1976), Pullela Gopichand (2000), Anup Sridhar (2007). After that only HS Prannoy clinched bronze in 2018.
In women's singles, PV Sindhu has secured bronze medals in 2014 and 2022 and Saina Nehwal in 2010, 2016 and 2018. India's other gold at the Badminton Asia Championships came in 2023, when the men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty clinched the title.
(More to follow)