BWF Worlds Day 1 Round up: Ayush on top of the world, Sindhu advances | Other Sports News

India made a perfect start as the BWF World Championships returned to the country after 17 years, with all five home entries in action on Monday advancing to the second round at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.

The opening day produced victories across men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles and women’s doubles for the hosts, but it was 21-year-old Ayush Shetty who provided the defining moment.

The Asian Championships silver medallist stunned top seed and defending champion Shi Yuqi of China 21-14, 13-21, 21-19 in an hour and 13 minutes, overcoming a 0-3 head-to-head record against the world No. 1.

Former world champion P V Sindhu began her campaign with a comfortable straight-game win, while M R Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan progressed in men’s doubles after their Irish opponents retired. Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand and Kavipriya Selvam-Simran Singhi completed India’s unbeaten Day 1 in women’s doubles.

Shetty’s result was also historic for the tournament, with Shi becoming the first defending men’s singles world champion to exit in the opening round.

How did Ayush Shetty stun world No. 1 Shi Yuqi?

Shetty showed little sign of being overawed by either the occasion or his opponent in the opening game.

Playing from the more favourable side of the court, the Indian capitalised on a series of errors from Shi and built an 11-5 advantage at the interval. His attacking game, particularly his smashes, kept the Chinese player under pressure as Shetty took the first game 21-14.

The conditions played a greater role after the change of ends. Shi found more control in the second game and forced the Indian into errors to win 21-13 and take the contest into a decider.

Shetty responded by slowing the exchanges and choosing his attacking opportunities more carefully. He led 11-5 at the change of ends in the third game and then won seven points in succession during a spell that took him to a commanding 16-5 advantage.

Shi, however, produced a late recovery. Better control at the net and deceptive strokes disrupted Shetty’s rhythm, helping the top seed narrow the deficit to 18-15.

The Indian eventually earned five match points with a down-the-line smash. Shi saved the first four, increasing the pressure on the home favourite, before Shetty converted his fifth opportunity to complete the upset.

“I was telling myself to calm down. I was getting a bit nervous because he was really catching up. The momentum was with him and everything I did, he somehow managed to retrieve. So I think I was trying to calm down and, you know, be aggressive,” Shetty said.

Japan’s Yushi Tanaka produced the other notable men’s singles upset of the day, beating China’s 16th seed Weng Hong Yang 21-17, 21-14.

How did Sindhu begin her World Championships campaign?

Sindhu encountered few problems against Ireland’s Sophia Noble, winning 21-7, 21-11 to move into the second round.

The ninth-seeded Indian established control almost immediately, racing to an 8-0 lead in the opening game. Her command at the net helped her close out the game in just 12 minutes.

Noble provided greater resistance after the change of ends and attempted to stretch the rallies by pushing Sindhu deep towards the forehand side.

Sindhu nevertheless remained in control. With the score at 12-10, she won eight consecutive points to reach 20-10 before completing the victory shortly afterwards.

For Sindhu, the first-round match was also an opportunity to understand the conditions at the venue before tougher contests later in the competition.

“I think overall, playing for the first time, it was important for me to get used to the court conditions and see how it is. Today, I think that was the first thing for me that came into my mind. But I think I managed it well and the court conditions are pretty good,” Sindhu said.

She will face Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang in the second round.

How did India’s doubles teams perform on Day 1?

India’s first success of the day came through M R Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan in men’s doubles.

The pair won the opening game 21-16 against Ireland’s Scott Guildea and Paul Reynolds and were leading 6-4 in the second when their opponents retired.

Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand followed with a convincing performance in women’s doubles. They defeated Spain’s Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez 21-9, 21-13 without being seriously threatened.

Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi had to work considerably harder against Spain’s Nikol Carulla and Carmen Maria Jimenez.

The Indian pair trailed 17-20 in the opening game and faced three game points, but produced a five-point run to turn the game around and take it 22-20. They carried that momentum into the second game and won it 21-14 to complete India’s fifth victory of the day.

Which other leading players advanced?

Among the leading men’s singles contenders, fourth seed Anders Antonsen of Denmark defeated Azerbaijan’s Dicky Dwi Pangestu 21-19, 21-17.

Japan’s 10th seed Kodai Naraoka needed three games to get past Chinese Taipei’s Chi Yu Jen, winning 21-16, 7-21, 21-12.

In women’s singles, world No. 1 An Se Young of South Korea defeated Bulgaria’s Kaloyana Nalbantova 21-14, 21-13.