NEW DELHI: At one of the biggest stages, Ayush Shetty operated like a man on a mission. He had one of steepest of mountains to climb in front of him. With the crowd fully behind him, he found that extra gear in the critical moments of his opening-round match of the World Championships to upset the apple cart here on Monday. The formidable force of Shi Yu Qi, who was at the receiving end, refused to yield but with victory in sight, Ayush kept his calm to earn himself a massive shot in the arm. The crowd was in a state of euphoria as it celebrated its emerging hero.
The victory would have tasted sweet for Ayush as he had been handed a harsh lesson by the World No 1 during the Asia Championships earlier this year. After a pulsating contest that had the audience glued to their seats, Ayush won 21-14, 13-21, 21-19 in 1 hour and 13 minutes.
Ayush's win marked a bright start for India, who are hosting the marquee event after a gap of 17 years. Just minutes before Ayush's headline-grabbing efforts, PV Sindhu -- the leading figure in women's category -- had also won with ease. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand (women's doubles) and Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun had also breezed into the second round without any issues. Debutants Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi (women's doubles) put the icing on the cake, marking a happy introduction to the big league.
But the man of the hour was undoubtedly Ayush. "It's a really special win. I'm super happy with the way I played today (Monday)," a visibly delighted Ayush told the reporters.
Despite having momentum by his side during the aforementioned Asia Championships, Shi had crushed the youngster 21-8, 21-10 in the final to deny him gold. Before that meeting, he had stretched Shi to three games but had ended up losing. Even during their first-ever meeting at the Indonesia Masters last year, Ayush had displayed spirit but had fallen short of his target.
Coming into their latest encounter, Ayush said he had done his homework with an aim to flip the script. "I knew it would be a tough match and I really had to work really hard. I was mentally prepared, physically as well."
Despite creating clear daylight between himself and Shi in the third game, the latter, displaying his experience, gradually closed the gap to make it an interesting finish. In the end, Ayush had five match points but Shi, once again, refused to give up and came within inches of taking the game to extra point period. Ayush later admitted that he was feeling a bit nervous towards the end of the finish line.
"I was telling myself to calm down. I was getting a bit nervous. He was catching up and the momentum was with him. Everything I did he somehow managed to retrieve it. I was looking to stay calm."In contrast, Shi was understandably downcast and said that he is not immune to mistakes and he'll be looking to bounce back in a strong fashion.
"Although I'm World No 1, I'm also susceptible to mistakes. I will try to make a strong return," Shi, with the help of a translator, said.
Homework on tactics and mental strength also helped, according to Ayush. "Tactically, I was much more prepared and mentally as well I was ready to work really hard. I knew it would be a very tough match and I'm happy to pull off a big win.
"This victory has now blown the men's singles draw wide open. With more players challenging for titles on the BWF World Tour this season, it is impossible to predict who'll take the coveted crown. Ayush now just wants to be locked in for his next opponent."I'm not thinking about other opponents. My focus will be on the next opponent. The men's singles draw is really nowadays. I have to be at my best on all days."
