He used to let his badminton do the talking. Laid-back by nature, Ayush Shetty rarely showed too much emotion on court. These days, there is more fire and aggression, something he says gives him energy.
He will need every bit of it at the World championships in New Delhi, which gets underway at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on August 17 (Monday). Ayush, on tournament debut, will face Shi Yu Qi, the World No. 1, with the weight of a home crowd and the expectations that come with being India’s next big hope in men’s singles.
But the 21-year-old isn’t walking into the Worlds burdened by what came before him. He is walking in believing he has finally learnt to match the pace of the best. Now he wants to test that belief on the biggest stage. Excerpts from an online interaction:
It has been a little more than a year on the senior circuit now. How has it been so far?
When I entered the senior circuit, playing against the top-20 players was really a great challenge.
Matching their pace, in particular, was really tough. But I’ve now adapted to it. I think I can push them and play at their pace. I’m a lot more confident now.
You’re going to make your Worlds debut in front of your home crowd in New Delhi.
Yeah, that brings pressure, but there’s also excitement playing at home. It’s a really special feeling, and I’m really excited about it.
Indian badminton has a rich history at the World championships. When you walk into that arena, you will be carrying expectations that players from many other countries won’t have…
I think there are some expectations. I won’t say that people aren’t thinking that I won’t go deep. But, yeah, my first round match will be a great challenge against the World No. 1. I’ll be expecting good support, and I’m looking forward to it.
You lost to Shi at the Asian championship earlier this year. How does that play on your mind ahead of your meeting at the Worlds?
There’s no revenge or any other kind of emotion in my mind. It’s a new tournament, and I’m not really thinking about that defeat. I’ll definitely be analysing that match and I’ll be more prepared, I feel. I’ll be tactically better this time as I remember Shi outplayed me in that clash.
When you say better prepared to face Shi, what exactly do you mean?
I’ve lost to him thrice, and I’ve had some good learnings from those matches. In terms of the tactical aspects of the game, I think the Asian championships match was much better. We’ve been working really hard on those things right now and I feel a lot stronger. It’ll again be a tough match, but I think it’ll definitely be a different one this time.
Alwi Farhan and you have a long history, and you could potentially run into him in the round of 16. What makes him a difficult opponent?
Alwi plays at a really high pace. The variations he has from the backcourt are really amazing. He has one of the best drops in men’s singles right now. That makes it really tough playing him. And he’s also a bit cheeky on the court; he doesn’t give his opponent a lot of space. Off the court, he’s a good friend of mine. No doubt, it’s not really nice when I’m playing against him.
You did defeat Alwi at the China Open…
That was more of a tactical contest. There was a lot of drift playing its part, too. My coach (Sagar Chopda) and I had a solid strategy, and it was executed really well. That’s how we were on the winning side that day. I think it was really amazing. I lost to him twice before, but this was a good match for me.
After the first round, you might run into someone from Sri Lanka or Peru, whose playing styles would be very different. Is that on your mind going into the event?
I think we should always go match by match. Right now the main focus is on the first round, and it’ll be a really good battle against Shi. I’m not thinking about who is coming later on.
Even though you’re still very young, you have a lot of experience winning medals at big tournaments. Does that give you the confidence going into this competition, or do you see this as a very different and much bigger challenge?
That does give great confidence. I’ve done well at the Asian championships and Thomas Cup. But I definitely think that the World championships would rank bigger than all those events.
What are some of the things that you’ve been working on of late?
We’ve been preparing really well for the World championships. We’re working on all aspects of the game, including the physical and tactical parts. We’re working on being more accurate in shot-making.
There have been some changes to your training pattern. Do you think they will enhance your game in this tournament?
Yeah, definitely. The focus has been on peaking for these tournaments, and I think the preparations are going really well. I would definitely be at my best while playing at the Worlds.
How has it been working with Irwansyah Adi Pratama?
The training has been a lot tougher. We have been training really long as well and he’s been focusing more on speed. I’ve been trying to get much more faster, much more agile, and play aggressively. Outside the court, he’s a very good guy. I can share anything with him and he will guide me in the right direction. That way, he’s been really open.
What are the things you expect from him during a tournament?
On match-day, it’s more about the contest. We analyse the match, he has his inputs and we prepare accordingly. It’s nothing too in-depth, we don’t talk a lot about the match but we just focus on the specifics.
How has it been training and sparring with Sindhu?
We have a similar type of game. She is also tall and attacking. There’s a lot to learn from her.
You’ve also slowly become more expressive on the court. Is that something you’ve worked on?
Yeah, I think it helps me get more energy. I’ve been consciously focusing on it. My natural style would be a bit more laid-back, not express much, but I’ve been trying to be more aggressive on the court now.
There’s been a lot of praise for you from the likes of Sindhu and Viktor Axelsen, among others, in the past. As an upcoming player, how do you receive what’s being said of you all around?
It’s a great honour to be praised by big legends. But also, when you’re having early exits, it’s the opposite. I focus more on myself, on getting better every day and believing in the process. I am enjoying playing badminton, and that’s been my motto all along.
When you look at the Indian men’s singles players who have already created a legacy at the World championships, do you see that history as a benchmark to chase?
I don’t see it as a benchmark to chase. I would like to set my own benchmark. I’m not focusing on what the legends of the game have done. I’ve been focusing more on myself, to keep playing better and winning matches.
Do you feel the weight of representing the next generation of Indian badminton?
I would not like to focus or think about setting a benchmark for the next generation. Since we’ll be playing at home, there is definitely some pressure. But I also see it as a great opportunity for me to debut at a special tournament like the World championships in India.
Badminton is inching closer to the new 3×15 scoring system…
It will change the game a lot. I would prefer it to be 21 (points), but everyone will have to adapt. It is a new challenge for all players. It’ll be a much faster and more explosive game. There won’t be that many gruelling battles.
If a 10-year-old kid from a small town near Mangaluru is going to watch you at the Worlds this year, what do you want that kid to learn and take away?
I think it would be about how everyone comes to the stadium and supports the players. It would be amazing for any player to play with the crowd behind them, cheering for every point. I think that would inspire everyone, and that would mean a lot.
