Indian badminton sensation Ayush Shetty pulled off a stunning upset at the BWF World Championships in New Delhi on Monday, defeating defending champion and World No. 1 Shi Yu Qi in the opening round.

The 21-year-old from Karkala, Karnataka, produced the biggest victory of his young career, beating the Chinese star 21-14, 13-21, 21-19 in a thrilling three-game encounter.

Making his World Championships debut, Shetty displayed remarkable composure and attacking intent against one of the favourites for the title. His powerful smashes, sharp movement and determined defence helped him overcome Shi in front of a vocal home crowd.

Shetty’s coach Vimal Kumar had given him a unique motivational challenge during his preparations in Bengaluru. He asked the youngster to write down August 17 as a reminder that it should be a “bad day” for Shi Yu Qi. Shetty turned that message into reality with a memorable performance.

After comfortably taking the opening game 21-14, Shetty faced a strong response from the defending champion, who levelled the contest by winning the second game 21-13.

The Indian, however, held his nerve in the deciding game. Despite the pressure of facing the world No. 1, Shetty maintained his aggressive approach and secured a 21-19 victory to complete a sensational upset.

The win marks a major breakthrough for Shetty and gives Indian badminton another exciting prospect to watch at the World Championships.