Ayush Shetty, an emerging badminton star from India, has gained significant attention after a viral moment from the Badminton Asia Championships, where he secured a silver medal. This moment featured an impressive net-block against Chinese player Li Shifeng, which quickly circulated online.<\/p>\n
In the now-famous video, set to lively music, Shetty is seen extending his racquet just above the net. The highlight occurs when the powerful Li Shifeng leaps to deliver a fierce smash, only for Shetty’s racquet to expertly intercept the shuttle, causing it to dart over to Shifeng\u2019s side, earning a clever point for the Indian player.<\/p>\n
This unexpected defensive maneuver seemed to rattle Shifeng, who was on a scoring streak at the time. While some viewers questioned the shot’s legality, it was confirmed to be within the rules, as Shetty’s racquet remained on his side of the net. This technique can be likened to a strategic uppercut in boxing, showcasing Shetty’s skill in returning the shuttle with finesse.<\/p>\n
Shetty, a 20-year-old talent, reflected on this pivotal moment in an interview with the Indian Express. He recounted that his match against the World No. 7 started slowly, but that viral moment changed everything. \u201cIt was just a simple block at the net, but it shifted the match\u2019s momentum,\u201d he stated, highlighting the importance of this play.<\/p>\n
Not only did this play earn him a crucial point, but it also allowed him to regain his confidence. \u201cLi was scoring points consistently, but after that moment, I began to enjoy the match and played more freely,\u201d Shetty, currently ranked 18th in the world, explained.<\/p>\n
India has a rich history of skilled net players, with figures like Kidambi Srikanth known for their swift and precise net attacks. Shetty\u2019s viral moment resonated because he anticipated where Shifeng would land and positioned himself accordingly.<\/p>\n
In his conversation with Firstpost, Shetty admitted that he had not practiced such a block before and acted on instinct. \u201cI lifted the shuttle and instinctively extended my racquet,\u201d he recalled. \u201cIt was completely unplanned, and I never expected it to go viral. That moment was crucial as it gave me the lead, and everything changed from there,\u201d he expressed with enthusiasm.<\/p>\n
Shivani Naik, a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, has been a prominent voice in Indian Olympic sports journalism. Her expertise spans badminton, wrestling, and basketball, and she is known for her in-depth analysis and storytelling style, which often delves into the technical aspects of sports and the personal journeys of athletes.<\/p>\n
Naik’s recent work has focused on the evolving dynamics of Indian sports, especially as athletes prepare for upcoming competitions like the 2026 Asian Games. She has written about the new generation of Indian badminton players, including Shetty, emphasizing their physicality and power in contrast to the traditional finesse of Indian badminton. Additionally, her articles have explored the resurgence of established players like PV Sindhu and provided tactical insights into major tournaments.<\/p>\n
Outside of badminton, Naik also covers various sports, including tennis and track and field, and has developed a following for her emotional columns on South African cricket, which reflect her long-standing support for the team. Readers can find her detailed analyses and commentary on her official profile with The Indian Express.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ayush Shetty, an emerging badminton star from India, has gained significant attention after a viral moment from the Badminton Asia Championships, where he secured a silver medal. This moment featured an impressive net-block against Chinese player Li Shifeng, which quickly circulated online. In the now-famous video, set to lively music, Shetty is seen extending his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8656,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[783,40,153],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8658","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-badminton","category-india","category-in-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n