Shi Yu Qi underlined his resurgence at the top of world badminton with a commanding performance on home ground to clinch his maiden Badminton Asia Championships men’s singles title, overpowering India’s rising star Ayush Shetty in a one-sided final on Sunday.
The world No. 2 needed just 42 minutes to dismantle the 20-year-old challenger 21-8, 21-10, using great control, timely precision and attacking intensity to end China’s eight-year wait for a men’s singles champion at the continental showpiece.
Shi’s triumph marks the first Chinese title in the discipline since Chen Long lifted the crown in 2017, and further signals the former world No. 1’s return to peak form in 2026.
Shi dictated proceedings with authority, mixing deceptive touch at the net with steep, punishing smashes and pushing Shetty onto the defensive and raced through the opening game 21-8 in under 20 minutes.
The second game briefly hinted at a contest when Shetty surged to a 7-2 lead, riding on his aggressive down-the-line attacks. But Shi responded emphatically, shifting gears with relentless pace and precision to seize full control before closing out the match with ease. The victory extended Shi’s perfect record over Shetty to 3-0.
While the final proved a step too far, Shetty’s breakthrough run in Ningbo stands out as one of the defining stories of the tournament. Ranked world No. 25, the Indian became the first man from his country in 61 years to reach the Asian Championships final since Dinesh Khanna’s triumph in 1965.
En route to today’s final, Shetty stunned a string of top names, including Asian Games champion Li Shi Feng in the opening round, fourth seed Jonatan Christie in the quarter-finals and world No. 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn in a gripping three-game semi-final. At 6’5”, Shetty’s powerful attacking style and fearless approach marked him as a rising force, even as he found the experienced Shi a level above in Sunday’s final.
