“Be More Patient and Play Longer Rallies”: Ayush Shetty Reflects On His Badminton Asia Championships Journey After Silver Medal Finish

Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty reflected on his impressive run at the Badminton Asia Championships, calling it a major learning experience despite falling short in the final. The 20-year-old shuttler was the last Indian to bow out of the tournament, but not before taking on the giants of the games, Kunlavut Vitidsarn and Jonatan Christie.

The young shuttler has once again reignited the positive environment around Indian badminton with so many talents coming up from the local circuit. Heading to Ningbo, the 20-year-old, ranked No. 18, believed he could do well, but never expected to reach the final.

Ayush Shetty Reflects On The Areas Of Improvement

Shetty, who defeated several top-ranked players en route to the summit clash, admitted that the final exposed key areas for improvement. He noted that his opponent, Shi Yuqi, executed a near-flawless strategy by denying him attacking opportunities and forcing him into longer rallies.

"Yeah, in the final, he didn't give me much chance to attack. He kept his lengths perfect. The main thing he didn't do was he didn't give me a chance to dominate at the net... So yeah, that is something I need to work upon. Be more patient and play longer rallies," Shetty said.

The 20-year-old also pointed out that while he showed patience in earlier rounds, including his semifinal win over Kunlavut Vitidsarn, he lost momentum in the final due to moments of impatience.

Looking back at his overall campaign, Shetty expressed satisfaction with his performance across the tournament but acknowledged the final as a crucial lesson. "After the loss, it was tough. I really wanted to win it. But it's a great learning for me... I'm proud of the way I played throughout the tournament. But yeah, it's a good lesson for me in the final," he added.

Shetty further emphasised the need to improve his physical strength and endurance to consistently compete at the highest level, identifying it as a key focus area going forward.
Despite the disappointment, the young Indian highlighted the positives from his breakthrough run, underlining his growing belief and confidence against top-tier opponents on the continental stage.