In a dramatic opening round at the world badminton championships in New Delhi, 21-year-old Ayush Shetty pulled off the upset of the tournament by defeating defending champion and world number one Shi Yuqi. Playing before an electric home crowd at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, the rising Indian talent utilized his impressive reach and precise smashing to clinch a hard-fought 14-21, 21-13, 19-21 victory. While Shi admitted that his own errors and the intense atmosphere played a role in the result, the young debutant held his composure under pressure, sealing the match with a decisive final point that sent the fans into a frenzy.

Meanwhile, the tournament also saw successful returns for other top contenders, including South Korea’s An Se-young. Returning to the court after a month-long layoff due to a foot injury, the world number one navigated her opening match against Bulgaria’s Kaloyana Nalbantova with a clinical 21-14, 21-13 win, showing steady progress toward regaining her rhythm. Alongside her, Indian veteran P.V. Sindhu continued her stellar momentum, coasting to a dominant victory over Ireland’s Sophia Noble and signaling her intent to remain a serious contender for the world title.