Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka to reach Australian Open quarterfinal: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026 in Indian men’s singles?
After defeating in-form Kodai Naraoka 21-17, 21-16 at the Australian Open Super 500, the tall shuttler runs into senior Lakshya Sen in the last eight at Sydney Olympic Park
It’s a match-up Ayush Shetty likes. After making his maiden Super 500 quarterfinals at Hong Kong, beating Top 10 Kodai Naraoka (World No 9), the 6-foot-4 was at it again, defeating the Japanese 21-17, 21-16 at the Super 500 Australia Open in Sydney to take his career head-to-head to 2-1
The win in Hong Kong on September 11 followed a summer in which Ayush, still 20, had defeated Chou Tien Chen and Brian Yang to win the US Open, India’s only singles title of 2025. Coincidentally, he runs into Lakshya Sen just like in Hong Kong, and once again, the senior will need to restrain the free-flowing power-pounding game of Ayush to prove he’s still the biggest name in India. Sen, ranked No 14 now, had defeated Ayush in Hong Kong in three sets and leads 1-0. But the tall shuttler, even if stuck at World No 32, is increasingly asking questions of his academy mate with his imposing game.
It was the same booming game – with strength in the smashes and ability to negate speed that Kodai tried swamping the Indian with – that will test the canny Sen next.
Kodai, whose game has acquired a hint of urgency, and doesn’t dawdle endlessly in rallies any more, believed he had a measure of Ayush, a giant who has put in tremendous work into agility for lugging gaps in his flank defense. Ayush trailed 5-8 in the opener, and Kodai wouldn’t have guessed what was coming. Power, he knew, would rain down in the form of expansive cross smashes. But it was the flatter shuttle that Ayush slapped cross with a sort of top spin on it, and it glided over the net, that spooked Kodai.
A tiny 11-10 lead was not enough for the Japanese, who realised how Ayush would grow in strength and raced to take the next four points while ceding only two. It was sturdy defense and shot selections where even his defensive placements spoke of an attacking intent. The body smash to open up the first lead at 15-13, for example, came from a quick reaction parry. The following winner was a quick stride to the net, for a backhand short tap. And the opening set was won with a massive down-the-line.
It wasn’t too dissimilar to Hong Kong, but more clinical because Kodai seemed to have a plan to counter Ayush, but couldn’t execute it. Ayush led at the 11-point mark in the second, lost the lead, but then built a wave of points again to drown out the Japanese. The accuracy at the net was crucial, and confidence to hold his ground will play a part, when he takes on Sen who loves the eyeball confrontations and wins them often.
One of the more reassuring parts of Ayush’s defense were his low pick-ups, inches off the floor and a strong wrist pick & flick back over the net against Kodai. The Japanese can absorb all-out attacks, but even he was confounded by the offense wrapped up in standard scramble defense retrieves.
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The final point of the match was indicative of how Ayush can frustrate opponents by staying put. Kodai kept smashing down lifts with almighty power, three in a row, but when everything came back, he went for a drop that sailed wide.
A passing of the baton is underway in Indian men’s singles, not because Lakshya Sen has stepped up, and won titles this year. But after HS Prannoy (19-21, 10-21) and Kidambi Srikanth (20-22, 16-21) lost (significantly) to Gen Next’s Alwi Farhan and Shogo Ogawa respectively in Sydney on Thursday. That’s why Ayush’s striking semblance of consistency – with two Super 300 semifinals in Orleans and Taipei, and two quarters at Super 500s Hong Kong and Hylo Open besides the win at Super 300 US Open – stands out.
Sen, a semifinalist at the last Olympics and a far more rounded player than Ayush, still starts favourite in their matchups. But given the power game Ayush is capable of, the 25-year-old will need to be on his toes. Both like dominating the net, but it’s the variety from the back court that might decide who begins to wrap up the season and heads into 2026 with anticipation.
Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball.
Professional Profile
Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express.
Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics.
Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium.
Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025)
Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond:
Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style.
PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps.
The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals.
Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas.
Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes.
Notable Recent Articles
BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025)
The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025)
Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025)
Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025)
Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025)
Other Sports Interests
Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts.
You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More
