Ayush Shetty Stuns World No. 15 Weng Hong Yang to Reach Indonesia Open Pre-Quarterfinals
India's rising badminton star Ayush Shetty continued his impressive 2026 season with a memorable comeback victory over China's Weng Hong Yang, while mixed doubles pair Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde produced a commanding performance to advance to the pre-quarterfinals of the Indonesia Open Super 1000 tournament on Wednesday.
The 20-year-old Ayush, a former World Junior Championships bronze medallist and a member of India's historic Thomas Cup 2026 bronze medal-winning squad, recovered from a one-sided opening game to defeat world No. 15 Weng Hong Yang 8-21, 22-20, 21-15 in a gripping contest that lasted one hour and six minutes.
The victory marked Ayush's second consecutive win over the Chinese shuttler, having also defeated him during the Thomas Cup campaign earlier this year. More importantly, it underlined the growing confidence and maturity of one of India's most promising men's singles players.
The match began in difficult fashion for the Indian. Weng Hong Yang dominated the opening game, dictating rallies from the outset and leaving Ayush struggling to find rhythm. The Chinese player raced through the first game 21-8, appearing firmly in control of proceedings.
However, the second game saw a completely different Ayush Shetty emerge. The Indian started aggressively and established an early 8-4 advantage, using his attacking game effectively to put pressure on the higher-ranked Chinese player. Weng gradually fought back and turned the game into a tense battle, eventually reaching game point at 20-19.
With the match hanging in the balance, Ayush displayed remarkable composure. Facing elimination, he won three consecutive points to snatch the second game 22-20 and force a decider.
The momentum had now shifted decisively in the Indian's favour.
Having survived the second-game scare, Ayush entered the deciding game full of confidence. He quickly built a comfortable lead and maintained control throughout the third game. Unlike the tense exchanges of the second game, the decider was largely dictated by the Indian. His attacking intent, coupled with improved control from the backcourt, helped him establish a six-point cushion midway through the game.
Weng struggled to find answers as Ayush continued to attack with confidence. The Indian eventually closed out the third game 21-15 to complete one of the biggest victories of his career.
The result further strengthens Ayush's growing reputation on the international circuit. Already a Thomas Cup bronze medallist and one of India's brightest young talents, the victory against a top-15 opponent demonstrates his ability to compete against the world's best players.
Awaiting him in the Round of 16 is Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu, who caused an upset of his own by defeating fourth seed Christo Popov.
India also had reason to celebrate in the mixed doubles draw as Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde secured an impressive straight-games victory over Chinese Taipei's Yang Po-Hsuan and Hu Ling Fang. Facing the world No. 20 pair, the Indian duo showed no signs of nerves and controlled the contest from start to finish.
Rohan and Ruthvika took the opening game 21-14 before repeating the same scoreline in the second to wrap up victory in just 34 minutes.
Their aggressive approach and sharp net play consistently troubled the higher-ranked opponents. The Indians looked comfortable throughout the encounter and rarely allowed the Chinese Taipei pair to establish any momentum. The win represents one of the pair's best performances of the season and moves them into the pre-quarterfinals of one of the most prestigious tournaments on the BWF World Tour calendar.
A much tougher challenge now awaits them against defending champions Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue of France.
While Ayush Shetty and the mixed doubles pair progressed, attention will now shift to the remaining Indian contenders in Jakarta.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu faces perhaps the toughest challenge of the tournament when she takes on reigning Olympic champion and world No. 1 An Se Young. Sindhu showed encouraging signs in Singapore last week and will hope to produce another strong performance against the Korean superstar.
In men's doubles, MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan will face Malaysia's Kang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai in the Round of 16. The Malaysian pair advanced after Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were forced to retire during their opening-round match due to an injury concern involving Satwik.
With Ayush Shetty continuing his rise and Rohan-Ruthvika delivering a notable upset, India still has multiple contenders alive at the Indonesia Open. The performances on Wednesday once again highlighted the depth of talent emerging in Indian badminton as the country looks to build on its recent success on the global stage.
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