Ayush Shetty Crashes Out Of BWF World Championships 2026 After Losing To Alwi Farhan In Pre-Quarterfinals

New Delhi, August 20: Young Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty's impressive run at the BWF World Championships 2026 came to an end on Thursday. The 21-year-old lost to Indonesia's Alwi Farhan in the men's singles pre-quarterfinals in New Delhi.

Shetty went down 19-21, 11-21 against the 11th-seeded Farhan. The Indian struggled to keep up with his opponent in the second game as Farhan took control of the match and sealed his place in the quarterfinals.

After the match, Shetty admitted that he had his chances in the opening game but failed to convert them. He felt Alwi played with more confidence in the second game and used his variations well. Shetty also said he made some unforced errors when he had chances, which made the difference.

Shetty said Alwi's pressure at the net and body-line shots made it difficult for him to find the right length. He praised the Indonesian's speed and variety from the back of the court, calling him a very tough opponent.

With the Asian Games coming up next month, Shetty said he would learn from the defeat, make some tactical changes and now shift his focus to the upcoming event.

The defeat ended a memorable campaign for Shetty at the World Championships. He had made headlines in the opening round by stunning world No. 1 and defending champion Shi Yuqi 21-14, 13-21, 21-19.

Shetty then produced another strong performance in the second round, beating Sri Lanka's Dumindu Abeywickrama 21-8, 21-10 to enter the last 16.

Despite the exit, Shetty's run in New Delhi will be seen as a major step forward for the young Indian shuttler, especially after his stunning win over the defending champion earlier in the tournament.

Another Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen had already suffered a shock exit from the tournament on Wednesday. The Indian shuttler lost to USA's world No. 92 Garret Tan 19-21, 21-19, 21-17 in the men's singles second round. The defeat ended Sen's campaign before the pre-quarterfinal stage.