Upsets continued on the second day of competition as India’s Ayush Shetty stunned China’s fifth seed Li Shi Feng in the opening round of the men’s singles at the Badminton Asia Championships 2026 in Ningbo today.

 China’s men’s singles campaign suffered an early setback, although Shi Yuqi and Lu Guang Zu kept home hopes alive by advancing comfortably into the second round. Defending champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn also progressed with a composed straight-games win over Hong Kong’s Ng Ka Long, 21-14, 21-18 in 57 minutes. However, it was Shetty who stole the spotlight, delivering a commanding performance to defeat Li 21-13, 21-16 in 51 minutes and carry India’s men’s singles challenge forward. He will next face Chinese Taipei’s Chi Yu-jen. India’s Lakshya Sen, meanwhile, suffered his fourth consecutive defeat to Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu.Elsewhere, fourth seed Chou Tien-chen secured a straight-games win over Thailand’s Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul, 21-15, 21-17, to set up a meeting with China’s Lu Guang Zu. Singapore’s eighth seed Loh Kean Yew fought back from a game down to defeat India’s Kidambi Srikanth, with Japan’s Koki Watanabe awaiting in the second round.Third seed Jonatan Christie advanced comfortably after beating Malaysia’s Leong Jun Hao and will face Japan’s Yudai Okimoto next. Women’s Singles: Han Yue falls, An cruises through World No.1 An Se-young advanced as expected, easing past Singapore’s Yeo Jia Min 21-15, 21-10 in 40 minutes to set up a second-round clash with Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh. The day’s second major upset saw fifth seed Han Yue fall to Korea’s Sim Yu-jin in a three-game battle, 16-21, 21-10, 21-15. Second seed Wang Zhi Yi stayed on course, defeating Chinese Taipei’s Chiu Pin-chian 21-16, 21-16 in 46 minutes. The reigning All England champion now faces India’s P. V. Sindhu in what promises to be a tightly contested clash, with both players tied at three wins each in their previous six meetings. Elsewhere, Korea’s Kim Ga-eun stunned seventh seed Ratchanok Intanon, while Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi cruised past Maldives’ Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq 21-5, 21-9.

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