BWF World Championships 2026: Ayush Shetty upsets reigning world champion Shi Yuqi in opening match; PV Sindhu wins

Ayush Shetty produced the biggest upset of his young career, defeating reigning world champion and world no. 1 Shi Yuqi 21-14, 13-21, 21-19 in a thrilling Round of 64 clash at the Badminton World Championships in New Delhi on Monday (August 17). Roared on by a packed crowd at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, Shetty played with remarkable confidence against the defending champion. The Indian youngster attacked aggressively from the start, making sharp moves at the net, taking the shuttle early and using his powerful smashes to control the opening game 21-14.

The victory marked a stunning turnaround from their previous meeting in the Badminton Asia Championships final, where Shi dominated the contest and finished the match in just 40 minutes. Shi responded strongly in the second game, building a 15-11 lead before closing it out 21-13 to level the match and force a decider. The final game was a tense battle. Shetty established an early 11-5 advantage at the changeover, but Shi fought back relentlessly and narrowed the gap as the pressure mounted.

With the home crowd firmly behind him, Shetty kept his composure during the crucial closing points. He held his nerve to win the decider 21-19 and complete a stunning three-game victory. The result marks a huge World Championships upset, with Shetty knocking out both the world no. 1 and the defending champion in emphatic fashion.

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Earlier in the day, Indian badminton star PV Sindhu made a strong start to the 2026 BWF World Championships at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, defeating Ireland’s Sophia Noble in straight games, 21-7, 21-11, in the women’s singles Round of 64. Playing in front of the home crowd, Sindhu dominated from the outset with precise drop shots and powerful smashes. Noble struggled to match her pace and attacking intensity as Sindhu comfortably took the opening game. The Indian continued her control in the second, fending off Noble’s attempts to fight back and sealing a convincing victory.

With the win, Sindhu advanced to the Round of 32, where she will face Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang on Tuesday. The victory also adds to her remarkable World Championships record. Sindhu has now won five medals at the tournament, one gold, two silver and two bronze, matching China’s Zhang Ning for the most women’s singles medals in World Championships history.

In the women’s doubles, Indian pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also began their campaign with a comfortable victory. The World No. 19 duo defeated Spain’s Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez 21-9, 21-13 in just over 30 minutes.

Treesa and Gayatri controlled the contest from the beginning, with Treesa’s powerful smashes and Gayatri’s quick play at the net proving effective.

The Spanish pair showed some resistance in the second game, but the Indians maintained their composure and led 11-7 at the interval before pulling away after the break. Treesa and Gayatri will meet American pair Lauren Lam and Allison Lee in the Round of 32 on Tuesday.