Ayush Shetty’s debut in the Badminton World Championships will be a tale that will be told for years to come, as the Indian starlet on home soil showed the world that he is here to stay. In a moment when a legend was born, the 21-year-old knocked out the defending champion and world No. 1, Shu Yu Qi, in the first round of the 2026 edition at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Arena on Monday (August 17) in one of the biggest upsets in sporting history.

In a blockbuster clash that saw the unseeded Indian face the 2025 champion in a repeat of this year’s Asian Championships, Ayush won the first set by a 21-14 margin before winning the second set 21-13. However, he held his nerve to seal victory in the match decided by a 21-19 margin despite dropping four match points.

Ayush Shetty Creates History

In the 49 years and 30 editions that have taken place in the history of the World Championships, Ayush has become the first player to defeat the defending champion in the first round of the tournament in the men’s singles category. While there have been multiple instances in the past of players winning the title and not playing the next round, never has a participant been knocked out in the first round. The worst display by a reigning winner before this came by inaugural edition winner Flemming Delfs, who was knocked out in the second round by Roy Díaz González.

Defending Champions’ Performance In All Editions Of BWF World Championships Men’s Singles

Ayush has become the second player in history after Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew, to knock out the top seed (since the seeded system was introduced) in the first round. Loh defeated Viktor Axelsen in the first round of the 2021 edition. Although, interestingly, Axelsen was seeded second, the first seed (as well as the defending champion), Kento Momota, had withdrawn due to a back injury, which technically makes the Indian star the first to beat the first seed in the opening round.

Interestingly, this marks only the fourth instance across all categories of a defending champion suffering a first-round exit and only the second in singles. Previously, it had happened once each in women’s singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles.

Meanwhile, this is the second instance of Ayush beating the current world No. 1 after beating Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the semi-final of the Asian Championships earlier this year in Ningbo. Ayush’s victory over the Thai shuttler saw him become the first Indian to reach the final after 61 years.