How Ayush Shetty used the tactical lift to defeat World No 1 Chinese Shi Yuqi

India’s Ayush Shetty celebrates a point at the Badminton World Championships. (Photo: BAI)

The bait of a shot that launches the shuttle into an inviting hitting orbit, beckoning Yuqi to slam it down, was so tantalisingly elusive that the Chinese was lured into belting it down, but the high lift denied him the sweet-spot to strike it deep. Or even cross the net striking it against the wind. The pressure was bound to build when Yuqi’s smashes got stifled.
It was a riveting contest because Ayush had been decimated in the Asian Championship final when exhaustion and incoherent strategy ended matters in a whimper. The high lift was the first course-correction. It pushed the world-beating Chinese to the edge.
Forcing Yuqi to lift was the prologue to the plan. 3-0 up means little against a shuttler as formidable as Yuqi. But it was in going to 4-1 that the weak Yuqi lift was smothered into the ground with the first of Ayush howitzers. Reading conditions of shuttle trajectory from one side at IG was something Yuqi struggled considerably with.
It also led to a spate of errors at the net where Yuqi’s backhand control tends to be impeccable. He logged at least half a dozen such mistakes in the opening game.

Mid-game change

The Chinese was forced into Plan B as early as 7-3 in the first. He increased the pace mid-rally trying to swamp Ayush. But the Indian was up to the task. Not only did he get onboard the flat, fast exchange, unafraid of speed, he ended with a regal cross-court smash kill that left Yuqi on one knee.
The Ayush floaters to the backline kept coming and teasing the Chinese and his judgment on the lines. Just to probe his defence ain’t shabby at all, the Indian dove around plenty before inducing a Yuqi error at 9-4. The Indian reached 11-5, with yet another tactical lift, followed by a return that evaded an outstretched forehand. It was a recurring theme to get to 16-9.

India’s Ayush Shetty in action at the Badminton World Championships. (Photo: BAI)

Yuqi was struggling to digest that both his control-play, the sort the Chinese rely on, with emphasis on rhythm, and his chaos in increasing the rally pace were really not troubling Ayush. If anything, the Indian replied in kind. When Yuqi’s midcourt lift was punished giving Ayush the opening game, the crowd sensed the new Shetty on the block was onto something.

The 21-14 scoreline was impressive. Before the sides switched, Yuqi did most of the talking rather than the coach – flailing his racquet-wielding hand. He pulled the second back 21-13. But the decider promised to be a humdinger.

One knew Ayush had arrived when the passage from 17-7 up to 18-14 had Indian fans jumping and wincing at his errors and exhaling with giddy cheers as he edged closer to the 21-point mark.

Yuqi threw everything he had in his consistency repertoire at double clip in the closing stages. The rushed pace almost did Ayush in as the score reached 20-19. The man has a penchant for drama. A medical timeout, tangled toes, a sitter at the net, Ayush contrived to find every single way to drag this to the edge of the cliff.

The final point was neither a steep smash nor a loopy clever lift. It was a tired push – helped in staying in bounds by his tired arm and the wind against him. Winning seemed destiny. A star was born. The Asian Championships final was avenged. The World No.1 was evicted in Round 1. The lift took off sensationally.