No respite for Chinese World No 15 Weng Hong Yang from Ayush Shetty

The Indian played coolly despite losing the first set 21-8 and the cacophony of the Istora din, to win 8-21, 22-20, 21-15

4 min readJun 3, 2026 06:19 PM IST

Ayush Shetty plays a shot against Lakshya Sen during a Badminton Match at Yonex Sunrise India Open 2026, at IGI Stadium on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)

File image of Ayush Shetty in action. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)

The sonic storm produced by Indonesian badminton crowds at the Istora Senayan arena this year, is something akin to what top floor tower residents of Vile Parle (E) in Mumbai might relate to. Flights taking off in close vicinity, and the Churchgate-Borivali local trains chugging along non-stop in the neighbourhood. Whatever sources of sound-making it was that Indonesia’s Gen Z has procured this year for their Super 1000 badminton, mimicing multiple high-speed trains, could not have been kept out by noise-cancellers, even if Ayush Shetty and Weng Hong Yang had strapped them on.

In the end, Ayush allowed the cacophony to become ambient sound to his own raised pitch. And Weng disintegrated, terribly angsty and error-prone, especially after the Indian picked up pace after trailing 8-21,11-15 in the second. He lost 8-21, 22-20, 21-15.

The source of the ruckus was Indonesian mens doubles pair Raymond Indra – Nikolaus Joaquin playing on Court 2. But given the number of Indonesian doubles pairings – 18 across three categories, which is 6 times their singles participation of 3 – the noise streaming out of badminton’s most iconic arena tends to be endless with one or another always on one of the courts.

Also Read | Thomas Cup: How Ayush Shetty came of age on the big stage, taking India to the semifinals with a display of maturity and composure

Ayush led early in the match and then nosedived to lose the opener 8-21. Weng still searching for revenge after Ayush showed him up at the Thomas Cup, would’ve imagined he had secured a turnaround as the Indian flatlined from 7-14 to lose the opener 8-21. It looked tricky for the Indian at 11-15, but he went on a 6-point run to reach 17-15, like an express train. There were belligerent net attacks, monster down-the-line smashes, and an intent to snap at the heels, exacerbated by the noise heavily enveloping even the sequestered Court 3.

The Chinese can be a hard nut to crack if allowed to dictate the tempo. But except for Shi Yuqi, Ayush has shown the ability to take out every other Chinese – Li Shifeng, Hong Yang and Weng Zheng Xing, the next three in line. He knew Weng could be put under pressure, and Ayush did what was needed clinically, clutch in big points.

The first signs are always his stomping stride to the net. He took the initiative on the tumbles, always baiting the World No 15. He’s only in his 8th week in Top 20, but Ayush can flick a switch and summon the big attack, as he did at a fast clip for a endgame melee in the second. Weng was too late and too rushed to register what hit him, even as he kept erring in tosses to the backline that went long. He would look with a pained face at his coaching chair.

When he lost the second and was dragged to a decider, Ayush had won half the battle. A 10-3 lead for the Indian from the seemingly tough side, killed all of the Chinese’ hopes. Ayush kept the pressure on, and took flight to wrap up the match in 66 minutes.

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As is his wont, Ayush took fewer points – 51 to defeat Weng, who collected 56 in vain. He plays the tricky World No 23 Lee Cheuk Yiu of Hong Kong on Thursday.

Shivani Naik

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

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