BENGALURU: A soft net serve. A measured reply. Then Kunlavut Vitidsarn lifts it high — too high. Ayush Shetty doesn't hesitate. The 20-year-old loads up, unleashes a thunderous smash, and in that instant, history bends.
For a moment, he stands still. Ayush Shetty turns, overwhelmed, and rushes into the arms of his Indonesian coach Irwansyah — a tight, emotional embrace that says more than any celebration ever could. Sixty-one years in the making, the wait is finally over. Not since Dinesh Khanna has an Indian man stood on the brink like this. Now, Shetty has stormed into the Asian Championships final in China by beating Vitidsarn in three sets, 10-21, 21-19, 21-17.
Indian badminton has been steadily building momentum. Just weeks ago, Lakshya Sen made his mark at the All England Open Badminton Championships, and now Shetty’s run to the Asian Championships final only underlines a larger surge.
Even though Shetty initially struggled to read the deceptive strokes of the World No 1, he quickly adapted. He began anticipating them better, and by the second set, he was reading those variations easily. By engaging in longer rallies and keeping the shuttle in play, he disrupted Kunlavut’s rhythm. "I played with more patience in the second set, and tried to attack as much as possible," Shetty told the media after the match.
In the second game, both players unleashed their best in a gripping 23-shot rally, with Shetty asserting his dominance. In the third, a brutal 48-shot exchange ended with his trademark smash. "This was one of the best matches Ayush has played in the tournament. His ability to sustain long rallies has been truly commendable. It was a slow start for him, and he dropped the first set, but in the second set, just when Vitidsarn expected the drop, he cleverly mixed it up, adding variety and pushing him onto the back foot. There's a clear shift now — he believes he can stretch the rallies. A lot of credit goes to his coach, Irwansyah. And watching him fight for every single point makes us proud," said Sagar Chopda, who trains Shetty at Centre for Badminton Excellence on the outskirts of the city.
Shetty was pouncing on every mid-court return with his go-to weapon — the smash in the third set. What truly stood out was the variation — mixing in delicate drops and sharp follow-up taps that allowed him to seize control and dictate the game.
Emphasising endurance, Chopda noted that winning a Super Series demands five gruelling matches. He usually recovers through rigorous training — running, cycling, skipping, and sprints. He added that they are still working on improving Shetty’s endurance levels.
Winning the Badminton Asia Championship, where Shetty is only eyeing the one last push against Shi Yu Qi, who is famous for his variety of shots and fast play, will be remarkable for the 20-year-old, who has already secured a medal. "Shetty needs to believe in himself and make sure he goes for each point. He needs to go onto his forehand and utilise the smashes on time from the midcourt whenever possible," Chopda concluded.