India’s Ayush Shetty stormed into the final with a stunning three-game win over top seed and defending champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn, assuring himself of at least a silver medal at the Badminton Asia Championships here on Saturday.

The World No. 25 rode on his superior attack and robust defence to script a sensational 10-21, 21-19, 21-17 comeback win over Thailand’s Vitidsarn, the Paris Olympics silver medallist and 2023 world champion, in the semifinal that lasted 75 minutes.

“Ayush handled the situation well. He seemed to get into Kunlavut’s head with his attacking style and exploited that smartly,” Vimal Kumar, former India chief coach and Director of the Centre for Badminton Excellence (formerly PPBA), said.

“Taking the second game was crucial. At 20-14, Ayush Shetty looked in control but got a bit anxious as Vitidsarn clawed back to 20-19. That is where he produced something special to close it out. All week, he has shown an ability to respond in tight moments, using the right tactics and deploying his smashes and clips judiciously. That discipline paid off,” he said.

With the win, Ayush became the first Indian men’s singles player after Dinesh Khanna to reach the finals of the prestigious tournament. Khanna remains the only Indian to win the men’s singles gold at the continental meet way back in 1965. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the doubles title in 2023.

The 20-year-old from Mangalore, the US Open Super 300 champion, will face either Chinese Taipei’s fourth seed Chou Tien Chen or second seeded Chinese Shi Yu Qi in the summit clash. The Indian has secured several high-profile scalps on the BWF World Tour, including Paris bronze winner Lee Zii Jia, former world champion Loh Kean Yew and Brain Yang. This week, Ayush knocked out World No. 7 Li Shi Feng and World No. 4 Jonatan Christie before outplaying Vitidsarn.

“What he needed was maturity. That showed here. He played composed, intelligent badminton under pressure. At just 20, he has time on his side. India now has two strong men’s singles players in Ayush and Lakshya, and wins like this are significant for the larger ecosystem,” Vimal said.

The Indian, who has been training under Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama for the past two weeks, didn’t drop a single game coming into the final. But he had suffered a straight game loss to Vitidsarn the last time they faced off at the Arctic Open last year.

Ayush took time to get into the groove as Vitidsarn dictated play early with pace and precision and cruised through the opening game with a flurry of smashes and disguised returns. The Indian showcased his athleticism with a series of full-length dives and rapid counter-attacks. In the second game which was too close for comfort, Ayush held his nerve and sealed it with a trademark down-the-line smash to force a decider.

Carrying the momentum forward, Ayush opened up a 4-1 lead in the third game and tightened his defence, retrieving returns he had missed earlier while keeping Vitidsarn under sustained pressure with aggressive play. Vitidsarn attempted a late fightback, but Ayush stayed composed, earning four match points with another cross-court winner before sealing a memorable victory with a final down-the-line smash.

Also read: Shetty overwhelms World No. 4, enters Asia C’ship semis